Top 10 drought tolerant plants

Top 10 drought tolerant plants

Top 10 drought tolerant plants

With our summers becoming hotter and hotter each year, as gardeners we have an ever-increasing need for drought tolerant plants.

There's nothing worse than spending time and money planting flowers only for them to have shrivelled up and died when a surge of hot weather arrives.

Drought tolerant plants, as would be expected, often are native to hot climates and are therefore adapted to survive in these adverse weather conditions. Many of them have hairy foliage that helps them retain moisture or light coloured foliage that reflects the sun.

Read on for some sun-loving plants that will help you beat the heat in your garden this summer!

10. Lavender

To many people, the sweet scent of Lavender is the ultimate symbol of summer, welcoming both bees and butterflies into your garden. Producing an abundance of blooms all summer long, excellent in both cut and dried flower arrangements.

lavender
coreopsis

9. Coreopsis

Giving you months of non-stop colour in summer with gem-like flowers, Coreopsis is not only beautiful but it’s also an extremely drought tolerant plant. A perfect bee-friendly plant for your borders and containers.

8. Kniphofia

Tall and stately with a totally tropical appearance, Kniphofia will really set your summer garden alight. An ideal plant for anyone living in a coastal area and they’re rabbit and deer resistant too.

kniphofia_2
salvia_3

7. Salvia

A long-standing Hayloft favourite, Salvias are available in an amazing array of colours, so there really is one for every gardener. They’re magnets for the bees and butterflies and are a pretty much fool-proof plant to grow too.

6. Heuchera

If you’re after a drought tolerant plant to give your garden some fantastic foliage interest, then look no further than Heuchera. Most varieties are semi-evergreen and slug resistant too.

heuchera
geranium

5. Geranium

Hardy Geraniums are without a doubt one of the most easiest plants to grow and they give so much back. Amazingly floriferous, unfussy on soil conditions, drought tolerant, great groundcover, attractive to bees and pest resistant. What’s not to love?

4. Osteospermum

Originating from Africa, it’s no wonder Osteospermum are extremely drought tolerant. Such an easy plant to grow and happy in containers, border and beds so they can suit most any garden. Their foliage is also evergreen, so you’ll have interest all year round.

osteospermum
eryngium

3. Eryngium

A pretty much indestructible plant, you're bound to get your money's worth with Eryngium! Tolerant of both drought and salt spray, so if you live by the coast this is the plant for you.

2. Sedum

Sedums have adapted specifically to cope with dry and hot conditions (unlike us English folk!) with leaves and stems that store water and a waxy coating that keeps water in. Genius!

sedum

1. Perovskia

perovskia

Pervoskia is a real tough cookie plant, so will save you so much time in the garden as it requires very little care. It thrives in the sunshine and is unfussy on soil type, so it's a no-brainer choice when it comes to drought tolerant plants.

Beth joined Hayloft when she was just 16 and has been a mainstay ever since. She has worn many hats, starting in customer care before moving to the marketing team, and she now runs Hayloft's reader offer department. You will see her in many national newspapers and magazines.