PLANTING FOR DROUGHT
All the plants listed here should fare above average in a hot, dry summer. As a rule of thumb, most plants with small, leathery, grassy or succulent leaves, as well as those with grey or hairy leaves, will tolerate dryer conditions and need less or no watering.
GETTING PLANTS ESTABLISHED
Just because plants are drought resistant doesn't mean that they don't need watering while they are getting established.
Give plants a good soaking before you put them in. If the rootball is very dry, submerge it in a bucket of water before planting.
On free-draining soils, mix in organic matter to improve water retention. Put the plant in the hole and water it in before filling it in with soil. Give a final watering after firming in to settle the root.
On heavy soils, incorporate a mixture of organic matter and sharp sand or grit. This will open up the structure, improve water retention and reduce the chances of clay soils cracking during a dry summer.
Apply a mulch around the plant to help keep the soil cool, reduce surface evaporation and keep down competition from weeds and other plants. Keep the mulch away from the centre of the plant as this could lead to rotting in winter.
If you are planting a new garden or border, create shelter using drought-resistant trees and shrubs. Cutting down the wind that plants are exposed to will significantly reduce the amount of water lost through plant leaves and through evaporation from the soil.
When you do water make sure that the water deep down to the bottom roots of the plant. Wetting the surface soil around the plant might do more harm than good, as the roots will rise to the surface to ‘chase’ the moisture, which exposes them to further drying out as the sun shines down.
KEY
1 very drought tolerant once established
2 drought tolerant once established
3 moderately drought tolerant once established
4 needs well-drained soil
TREES AND SHRUBS
2 Araliaelata (Japanese angelica tree)
2 Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree)
2 Berberis, evergreen
2 Betula (birch)
1 Buddleja davidii (butterfly bush)
1 Buxus (box)
1 Caragana arborescens (pea tree)
2 Caryopteris x clandonensis (blue spiraea)
2 Chaenomeles (flowering quince)
3 Ceanothus
3 Choisya
1+4 Cistus (sun rose)
1+4 Colutea arborescens (bladder senna)
1 Convolvulus cneorum
2 Cardyline australis (cabbage tree)
1+4 Carokia cotoneaster (wire netting bush)
2 Cotoneaster
1+4 Cytisus (broom)
2 Danae racemosa (Alexandrian laurel)
2+4 DaPhne mezereum ( mezerocn, poisonous)
1 Elaeagnus
2 Eleutherococcus sieboldianus (five leaf aralia)
3 Euonymus europaeus (spindle tree, poisonous)
3+4 Euonymus fortunei
1 Fagu.5 sylvatica (beech)
2+4 Genista
1+4 Gleditsia triacanthos 'Sunburst'
2 Griselinia littaralis
1+4 x Halimiocistus
3+4 Hebe, small-leaved
1+4 Helianthemum (rock rase)
3 Hibiscus syriacus
2 HiPpophai rhamnoides (sea buckthorn)
2+4 Indigofera
1 Ilex (hollies)
3+4 Jasminum nudijlorum (winter jasmine)
2 JuniPerus
2 Kerria japonica
2 Lavandula (lavender)
2 Lavatera (tree mallow)
1 Ligustrum (privet)
2 Lithodora
1+4 Olearia (daisy bush)
1+4 Perovskia (Russian sage)
3 Philadelphus
1+4 Phlomi5 fruticosa
1+4 Phlomi5 longifolia
3 Phormium
2 Picea pungens 'Glauca '
1+4 Pinus mugo (dwarfpine)
2+4 Pittosparum tenuifolium
3 Potentilla fruticosa
1 Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken' and 'Zabeliana
3 Prunus subhirtella ÔAutumnalis'
2+4 Rhus typhina (stagshorn sumach)
3 Ribe,s sanguineum (flowering currant)
2 Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia '
2 Rosa glauca
2 Rosa rugosa
2+4 Rosmarinus officinalis
1 Ruscus aculeatus (butcher's broom)
1+4 Ruta (rue, irritant)
2+4 Salvia officinalis (sage)
3+4 Santolina (cotton lavender)
2 Sasa veitchii (bamboo)
1+4 Senecio 'Sunshine'
2+4 Sophora japonica (Pagoda tree)
1 Spartium junceum (Spanish broom)
1 SymphoricaJjJos (snowberry, poisonous)
1 Tamarix
1 Taxus baccata (yew)
1 Ulex europaeus (gorse)
3 Viburnum, evergreen
1 Vinca (periwinkle)
1+4 Yucca gloriosa
Key (again)
1 very drought tolerant once established
2 drought tolerant once established
3 moderately drought tolerant once established
4 needs well-drained soil
CLIMBERS
2 Clematis montana
1 Fallopia baldschuanica (Russian vine)
2 Hedera (ivies)
2 Parthenocissus (Virginia creeper and relatives)
3 Rosa 'Sanders' White Rambler'
3 Rosa 'Mermaid'
2 Trachelospermum asiaticum
2 Tropaeolum tuberosum
2 Vitis coignetiae
2 Vitis vinifera Turpurea' .
PERENNIALS
1 Acaena (New Zealand burr)
3 Acanthu (bears breeches)
2 Achillea
2 Aconitum (monkshood, poisonous)
2 Agapanthus
2 Alcea rugosa (hollyhock)
2 Alchemilla mollis
2+4 Anthemis
1+4 Armeria (thrift)
1+4 Artemisia ‘Towis Castle'
2 Arumitalicum (poisonous)
1 Asterericoides
3 Aquilegia
2 Bergenia
3 Brunnera macrophylla
1+4 Calamintha nepeta
2 Campanula caryatica
1 Campanula poscharskyana
3 Catananche caerulea (cupids dart)
1 Cerastium tomentosum
2 Cichorium intybus 'Album'
1 Cirsiumrivulare ~tropuryureum ,
2 Coreopsis grandijlora
2 Coreopsis verticillata
2 Crambe cordifolia (ornamental seakale)
3 Crocosmia
2 Cynara cardunculus (cardoon)
2 Cynara 'Scolymus Group'
2 Dianthus (Pinks)
2 Dictamnus albus (burning bush)
3 Digitalis purpurea (common foxglove)
1 Echinacea purpurea (conejlower)
1 Echinops ritro (globe thistle)
3 Eremurus (foxtail lilly)
2 Erodium (storks bill)
2 Eruca vesicaria 'Sativa '
1+4 Eryngium maritimum (sea holly)
3 Erysimum (perennial wallflower)
2 Euphorbia (irritant)
2 Festuca glauca
1 Foeniculum vulgare (fennel)
1 Gaillardia
1 Helictotrichon sempervirens (blue oat grass)
1 Geranium 'Wargrave Pink'
1 Geranium renardii
1 Geranium sanguineum
1 Geranium 'Spinners'
3 Geum
1 Heliopsis helianthoides
1 Hemerocallis (day lily)
3 Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple'
3 Heuchera sanguinea
3 x Heucherella alba
2 Hosta, small-leaved
1 Iris foetidissima (stinking iris)
2+4 Knautia.
2 Kniphofia (red-hot poker)
3 Leucanthemum x superba (shasta daisy)
2 Levisticum (lovage)
1 Limonium latifolium (sea lavender)
1 Linaria (toadflax)
1 Linum narbonense
1 Linum perenne (flax)
1 Liriope muscari
2 Malacleaya cardata (Plume poppy)
2+4 Malva moschata (musk mallow)
1 Muscari comosum 'Plumo.sum
2+4 Nepeta cataria (catmint)
1 Onopardum acanthium
2 Ophiopogon laburan 'Vittatus'
2 Ophiopogon Planiscapus 'Nigrescens '
3 Papaver orientale
1+4 Penstemon Pinifolius
3 Phyla canescens
1+4 Physoplexis comosa
3+4 Polygonatum bijlorum
2 Pulmonaria
2 Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm '
1 Saxifraga x urbium (London pride)
1 Sedum spectabile
1 Sedum telephium 'Atropurpureum
2 Silene unijlara 'Flare Pleno '
2 Sisyrinchium striatum
1 Stachys byzantina
2 SymPhytum grandijlarum
1 Tanacetum balsamita
3 Thalictrum aquilegiifolium'
2 Verbascum thapsus
2 Veronica perfoliata
3 Viola 'Freckles'
1 Waldsteinia ternata
Key
1 very drought tolerant once established
2 drought tolerant once established
3 moderately drought tolerant once established
4 needs well-drained soil
BEDDING AND PATIO PLANTS
1+4 Arctotis (x Venidioarctotis, African daisy)
1+4 Argyranthemum (marguerite)
1 Begonia fuchsioides
1 Bidens
2 Diascia
1 Helichrysum petiolare
2 Lantana (poisonous)
2 Nicotiana (tobacco plant, poisonous)
1+4 Osteospermum
1 Pelargonium (geranium)
2 Perilla frutescens
2 Petunias
1 Plectranthus
1+4 Portulaca grandiflara
1 Senecio maritima (syn S. cineraria )
1+4 Zinnia
ANNUALS
1 Atriplex hartensis
2 Cosmos biPinnatus
2 Esch.scholzia califarnica (California poppy)
2 Gaillardia pulchella
1+4 Gazania
3 Gomphrena globos (globe amaranth)
1 Helichrysum bracteatum
1 HeliPterum
1 Ipomoea purpurea (morning glory, poisonous)
1+4 Mesembryanthemum (Livingstone daisy)
1 Papaver somniferum ( opium poppy)
1 Silybum marianum (Our Lady's milk thistle)
2+4 Tithonia rotundifolia (Mexican sunflower)
2 Tropaeolum malus (nasturtium)
ROCK GARDEN PLANTS
1 Androsace
1 Antennaria dioica 'Rubra' ,
1+4 Armeria maritima 'Splendens'
3+4 Calceolaria biflora
2+4 Dianthus alpinus 'Allwoodii Group'
2+4 Dianthus 'Spring Beauty'
2+4 Erinus alpinus
1+4 Genista sagittalis
1+4 Geranium 'Ballerina'
1+4 Helianthemum 'Ben Mare'
1+4 Helianthemum 'Wisley Primrose'
1+4 Lewisia cotyledon 'Sunset Group'
2+4 Leontopodium alpinum (edelweiss)
2 Phlox douglasii
1+4 Sedumspathulifolium 'Cape Blanco'
1 Sempervivum tectorum
Key (again)
1= very drought tolerant once established
2= drought tolerant once established
3= moderately drought tolerant once established
4= needs well-drained soil
All the plants listed here should fare above average in a hot, dry summer. As a rule of thumb, most plants with small, leathery, grassy or succulent leaves, as well as those with grey or hairy leaves, will tolerate dryer conditions and need less or no watering.
GETTING PLANTS ESTABLISHED
Just because plants are drought resistant doesn't mean that they don't need watering while they are getting established.
Give plants a good soaking before you put them in. If the rootball is very dry, submerge it in a bucket of water before planting.
On free-draining soils, mix in organic matter to improve water retention. Put the plant in the hole and water it in before filling it in with soil. Give a final watering after firming in to settle the root.
On heavy soils, incorporate a mixture of organic matter and sharp sand or grit. This will open up the structure, improve water retention and reduce the chances of clay soils cracking during a dry summer.
Apply a mulch around the plant to help keep the soil cool, reduce surface evaporation and keep down competition from weeds and other plants. Keep the mulch away from the centre of the plant as this could lead to rotting in winter.
If you are planting a new garden or border, create shelter using drought-resistant trees and shrubs. Cutting down the wind that plants are exposed to will significantly reduce the amount of water lost through plant leaves and through evaporation from the soil.
When you do water make sure that the water deep down to the bottom roots of the plant. Wetting the surface soil around the plant might do more harm than good, as the roots will rise to the surface to ‘chase’ the moisture, which exposes them to further drying out as the sun shines down.
KEY
1 very drought tolerant once established
2 drought tolerant once established
3 moderately drought tolerant once established
4 needs well-drained soil
TREES AND SHRUBS
2 Araliaelata (Japanese angelica tree)
2 Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree)
2 Berberis, evergreen
2 Betula (birch)
1 Buddleja davidii (butterfly bush)
1 Buxus (box)
1 Caragana arborescens (pea tree)
2 Caryopteris x clandonensis (blue spiraea)
2 Chaenomeles (flowering quince)
3 Ceanothus
3 Choisya
1+4 Cistus (sun rose)
1+4 Colutea arborescens (bladder senna)
1 Convolvulus cneorum
2 Cardyline australis (cabbage tree)
1+4 Carokia cotoneaster (wire netting bush)
2 Cotoneaster
1+4 Cytisus (broom)
2 Danae racemosa (Alexandrian laurel)
2+4 DaPhne mezereum ( mezerocn, poisonous)
1 Elaeagnus
2 Eleutherococcus sieboldianus (five leaf aralia)
3 Euonymus europaeus (spindle tree, poisonous)
3+4 Euonymus fortunei
1 Fagu.5 sylvatica (beech)
2+4 Genista
1+4 Gleditsia triacanthos 'Sunburst'
2 Griselinia littaralis
1+4 x Halimiocistus
3+4 Hebe, small-leaved
1+4 Helianthemum (rock rase)
3 Hibiscus syriacus
2 HiPpophai rhamnoides (sea buckthorn)
2+4 Indigofera
1 Ilex (hollies)
3+4 Jasminum nudijlorum (winter jasmine)
2 JuniPerus
2 Kerria japonica
2 Lavandula (lavender)
2 Lavatera (tree mallow)
1 Ligustrum (privet)
2 Lithodora
1+4 Olearia (daisy bush)
1+4 Perovskia (Russian sage)
3 Philadelphus
1+4 Phlomi5 fruticosa
1+4 Phlomi5 longifolia
3 Phormium
2 Picea pungens 'Glauca '
1+4 Pinus mugo (dwarfpine)
2+4 Pittosparum tenuifolium
3 Potentilla fruticosa
1 Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken' and 'Zabeliana
3 Prunus subhirtella ÔAutumnalis'
2+4 Rhus typhina (stagshorn sumach)
3 Ribe,s sanguineum (flowering currant)
2 Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia '
2 Rosa glauca
2 Rosa rugosa
2+4 Rosmarinus officinalis
1 Ruscus aculeatus (butcher's broom)
1+4 Ruta (rue, irritant)
2+4 Salvia officinalis (sage)
3+4 Santolina (cotton lavender)
2 Sasa veitchii (bamboo)
1+4 Senecio 'Sunshine'
2+4 Sophora japonica (Pagoda tree)
1 Spartium junceum (Spanish broom)
1 SymphoricaJjJos (snowberry, poisonous)
1 Tamarix
1 Taxus baccata (yew)
1 Ulex europaeus (gorse)
3 Viburnum, evergreen
1 Vinca (periwinkle)
1+4 Yucca gloriosa
Key (again)
1 very drought tolerant once established
2 drought tolerant once established
3 moderately drought tolerant once established
4 needs well-drained soil
CLIMBERS
2 Clematis montana
1 Fallopia baldschuanica (Russian vine)
2 Hedera (ivies)
2 Parthenocissus (Virginia creeper and relatives)
3 Rosa 'Sanders' White Rambler'
3 Rosa 'Mermaid'
2 Trachelospermum asiaticum
2 Tropaeolum tuberosum
2 Vitis coignetiae
2 Vitis vinifera Turpurea' .
PERENNIALS
1 Acaena (New Zealand burr)
3 Acanthu (bears breeches)
2 Achillea
2 Aconitum (monkshood, poisonous)
2 Agapanthus
2 Alcea rugosa (hollyhock)
2 Alchemilla mollis
2+4 Anthemis
1+4 Armeria (thrift)
1+4 Artemisia ‘Towis Castle'
2 Arumitalicum (poisonous)
1 Asterericoides
3 Aquilegia
2 Bergenia
3 Brunnera macrophylla
1+4 Calamintha nepeta
2 Campanula caryatica
1 Campanula poscharskyana
3 Catananche caerulea (cupids dart)
1 Cerastium tomentosum
2 Cichorium intybus 'Album'
1 Cirsiumrivulare ~tropuryureum ,
2 Coreopsis grandijlora
2 Coreopsis verticillata
2 Crambe cordifolia (ornamental seakale)
3 Crocosmia
2 Cynara cardunculus (cardoon)
2 Cynara 'Scolymus Group'
2 Dianthus (Pinks)
2 Dictamnus albus (burning bush)
3 Digitalis purpurea (common foxglove)
1 Echinacea purpurea (conejlower)
1 Echinops ritro (globe thistle)
3 Eremurus (foxtail lilly)
2 Erodium (storks bill)
2 Eruca vesicaria 'Sativa '
1+4 Eryngium maritimum (sea holly)
3 Erysimum (perennial wallflower)
2 Euphorbia (irritant)
2 Festuca glauca
1 Foeniculum vulgare (fennel)
1 Gaillardia
1 Helictotrichon sempervirens (blue oat grass)
1 Geranium 'Wargrave Pink'
1 Geranium renardii
1 Geranium sanguineum
1 Geranium 'Spinners'
3 Geum
1 Heliopsis helianthoides
1 Hemerocallis (day lily)
3 Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple'
3 Heuchera sanguinea
3 x Heucherella alba
2 Hosta, small-leaved
1 Iris foetidissima (stinking iris)
2+4 Knautia.
2 Kniphofia (red-hot poker)
3 Leucanthemum x superba (shasta daisy)
2 Levisticum (lovage)
1 Limonium latifolium (sea lavender)
1 Linaria (toadflax)
1 Linum narbonense
1 Linum perenne (flax)
1 Liriope muscari
2 Malacleaya cardata (Plume poppy)
2+4 Malva moschata (musk mallow)
1 Muscari comosum 'Plumo.sum
2+4 Nepeta cataria (catmint)
1 Onopardum acanthium
2 Ophiopogon laburan 'Vittatus'
2 Ophiopogon Planiscapus 'Nigrescens '
3 Papaver orientale
1+4 Penstemon Pinifolius
3 Phyla canescens
1+4 Physoplexis comosa
3+4 Polygonatum bijlorum
2 Pulmonaria
2 Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm '
1 Saxifraga x urbium (London pride)
1 Sedum spectabile
1 Sedum telephium 'Atropurpureum
2 Silene unijlara 'Flare Pleno '
2 Sisyrinchium striatum
1 Stachys byzantina
2 SymPhytum grandijlarum
1 Tanacetum balsamita
3 Thalictrum aquilegiifolium'
2 Verbascum thapsus
2 Veronica perfoliata
3 Viola 'Freckles'
1 Waldsteinia ternata
Key
1 very drought tolerant once established
2 drought tolerant once established
3 moderately drought tolerant once established
4 needs well-drained soil
BEDDING AND PATIO PLANTS
1+4 Arctotis (x Venidioarctotis, African daisy)
1+4 Argyranthemum (marguerite)
1 Begonia fuchsioides
1 Bidens
2 Diascia
1 Helichrysum petiolare
2 Lantana (poisonous)
2 Nicotiana (tobacco plant, poisonous)
1+4 Osteospermum
1 Pelargonium (geranium)
2 Perilla frutescens
2 Petunias
1 Plectranthus
1+4 Portulaca grandiflara
1 Senecio maritima (syn S. cineraria )
1+4 Zinnia
ANNUALS
1 Atriplex hartensis
2 Cosmos biPinnatus
2 Esch.scholzia califarnica (California poppy)
2 Gaillardia pulchella
1+4 Gazania
3 Gomphrena globos (globe amaranth)
1 Helichrysum bracteatum
1 HeliPterum
1 Ipomoea purpurea (morning glory, poisonous)
1+4 Mesembryanthemum (Livingstone daisy)
1 Papaver somniferum ( opium poppy)
1 Silybum marianum (Our Lady's milk thistle)
2+4 Tithonia rotundifolia (Mexican sunflower)
2 Tropaeolum malus (nasturtium)
ROCK GARDEN PLANTS
1 Androsace
1 Antennaria dioica 'Rubra' ,
1+4 Armeria maritima 'Splendens'
3+4 Calceolaria biflora
2+4 Dianthus alpinus 'Allwoodii Group'
2+4 Dianthus 'Spring Beauty'
2+4 Erinus alpinus
1+4 Genista sagittalis
1+4 Geranium 'Ballerina'
1+4 Helianthemum 'Ben Mare'
1+4 Helianthemum 'Wisley Primrose'
1+4 Lewisia cotyledon 'Sunset Group'
2+4 Leontopodium alpinum (edelweiss)
2 Phlox douglasii
1+4 Sedumspathulifolium 'Cape Blanco'
1 Sempervivum tectorum
Key (again)
1= very drought tolerant once established
2= drought tolerant once established
3= moderately drought tolerant once established
4= needs well-drained soil
[email protected]
01626 888598
01626 888598
NAILA GREEN GARDEN DESIGN - Devon garden designers serving Exeter, Newton Abbot, Torquay and beyond