Droughts, heatwaves and hosepipe bans are here to stay. Adapt your garden to thrive in these conditions with these stunning, drought-resistant perennials, shrubs, trees and bedding plants.
The UK may have a reputation for being a rainy country, but last month was the driest July in England and Wales since records began. Temperatures in May and June reached record-breaking levels, and most of southern England is officially in drought. Many plants have been struggling in the heat, and many gardeners are wondering how they can adapt their planting to be more drought tolerant.
The good news is that there are plenty of plants that thrive in hot, dry conditions. If your garden has struggled this year and you want it to look good without you having to spend every evening watering it, it may be time to rethink your garden design. I've pulled together a list of 55 shrubs, trees and perennial plants that can survive heatwaves and drought to make your garden more resilient.
What makes plants drought resistant?
To survive drought conditions, plants need to be expert at conserving moisture, drawing what little water there is from the soil and not letting themselves overheat. There are many ways that plants have adapted to hot, dry environments, but these are some of the most visible adaptations:
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Fleshy leaves and stems that store water.
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Deep roots to access moisture from deep in the earth.
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Pale, silvery foliage that reflects sunlight and helps prevent the plant from overheating.
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Small or deeply lobed leaves to reduce moisture loss.
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A waxy coating on leaves to reduce water loss.
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Dense foliage and tiny hairs on leaves and stems create a humid microclimate, allowing the plant to absorb more water from the air.
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Underground storage vessels, such as rhizomes or bulbs.
Drought resistant shrubs
Shrubs that are drought tolerant often have deep roots to help them draw up water from deep underground. Deep watering young shrubs encourages them to develop roots that grow down, not out. Whether you're designing a low maintenance garden or want to add height and structure to borders, these drought resistant bushes give you foliage, flowers and year-round interest for minimal effort:
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Ceanothus 'Victoria': A hardy evergreen shrub that produces clusters of vibrant blue flowers in late spring. Hugely attractive to pollinators, this cultivar grows to around two metres in height. You can let it grow naturally or train it against a wall in a sunny, sheltered location. Ceanothus shrubs have deep taproots, so avoid moving them.
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Buddleja 'Pink Delight': Buddleias are one of the most low maintenance, drought tolerant plants in the UK, evidenced by their colonisation of urban wastelands and railways. This variety has candy-pink flowers that bloom from June or July through to September.
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Juniper 'Blue Carpet': Junipers are coniferous shrubs and trees that grow well in thin soils, as well as chalky or sandy soils. Juniper 'Blue Carpet' is a prostrate variety with silvery-blue foliage. An excellent low-maintenance option for year-round colour in beds, rockeries and dry gardens.
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Lavender 'Hidcote': All lavenders love sun and well-drained soil, but English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is the most resilient to wet UK winters. Lavender 'Hidcote' has silvery-green foliage and spikes of purple flowers. It's a great plant for pollinators and one of the best lavenders for culinary uses.
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Rosemary 'Miss Jessopp's Upright': Another well-known Mediterranean herb, rosemary copes a little better than lavender with wet winters. This upright variety grows to around two metres, so you can use it to add height to borders or as an aromatic hedge.
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Nandina 'Gulf Stream': Drought tolerant when mature, this evergreen, colour-changing shrub shines in autumn and winter when its green foliage turns shades of brilliant red and orange. Nandina prefers slightly acidic soil and will look best in full sun, though it can also cope with partial shade.
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Choisya 'White Dazzler': This evergreen shrub produces masses of scented white flowers in spring, with a second, smaller flush in autumn. Choisyas need fertile soil, but they're drought resistant once established. This variety has narrow leaves, which helps minimise water loss.
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Callistemon citrinus: With its scented foliage and scarlet bottlebrush flowers, Callistemon citrinus is an eye-catching addition to a sunny garden. It's less hardy than other drought tolerant evergreen shrubs in the UK, so plant it in a mild, sheltered spot or in a pot that you can move into a greenhouse over the winter.
Drought tolerant perennial plants
As our summers get hotter and drier, many classic British garden plants are becoming harder to grow. Many gardeners are switching to drought resistant perennial plants that require less water and don't flop at the first sign of a heatwave. Expect to see more of these heat-tolerant plants in UK gardens in the coming years:
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Eryngium 'Big Blue': Sea hollies are top of my list of drought resistant perennials. They have deep taproots and a waxy layer on their foliage, which helps them thrive during heatwaves and droughts, but they can also cope with coastal conditions and hard frosts, and they're a magnet for pollinators. Eryngium 'Big Blue' is one of the most striking varieties, with large, electric-blue flowers and silvery foliage.
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Nepeta 'Purrsian Blue': Nepeta (catmint) is a versatile perennial with silvery green foliage that grows well in any well-drained soil, including very dry, thin soils. This cultivar performed particularly well in RHS trials, and its compact, rounded habit and periwinkle blue flowers give it a neat appearance.
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Salvia 'Caradonna': Most salvias are drought tolerant, but Salvia nemorosa cultivars can also cope with cold winters, making them a standout choice for all parts of the UK. Salvia 'Caradonna' has a long flowering period and its violet flowers on dark stems are a striking complement to other cottage garden plants.
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Origanum vulgare: This culinary herb is well adapted to seasonal droughts, as it naturally produces smaller leaves in late summer to conserve water. It thrives in poor, gritty soils, and planting in these conditions gives the leaves the best flavour. The clusters of pink flowers that appear in summer are much loved by bees and other pollinators.
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Verbena bonariensis: One of the best drought tolerant cottage garden plants, Verbena bonariensis seems to survive anything, coming back reliably year after year. Its tall, wiry stems are virtually indestructible, and the light, purple flower heads complement many other plants.
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Artemisia 'Powis Castle': Its silver foliage and finely divided leaves help this mugwort flourish in baking sun and give it a wonderful feathery appearance. It grows well in pots, and its evergreen foliage adds brightness and interest in every season. Artemisia 'Powis Castle' is hardy in coastal and mild parts of the UK, but in colder areas, you'll need to move it to a frost-free greenhouse or take cuttings in case your plant doesn't survive.
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Stachys 'Pure Cotton': Stachys, or lamb's ear, is also grown for its silver foliage, but it has a very different appearance to Artemisia, with large, "woolly" silver-green leaves. It's fully hardy in the UK and keeps its leaves year-round in mild winters. This variety produces clusters of white, downy flowers in summer.
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Thymus serpyllum: Creeping thyme is an evergreen, mat-forming perennial that can cope with both cold and dry conditions. In summer it produces masses of pollinator-friendly pink and purple flowers. An excellent drought resistant alternative to grass for small lawns on well-drained soil.
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Stipa gigantea: This tough grass earns its common name of "golden oats" in summer and autumn, when arching stems shoot up from a tussock of evergreen foliage, creating a fountain of golden flower heads.
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Santolina chamaecyparissus: An evergreen shrub with aromatic, silvery foliage and bright yellow, button-like flowers. Native to the Mediterranean, cotton lavender loves the sun and thrives in sandy or gritty soil. It's hardy in most parts of the UK but may struggle in cold winters or exposed locations.
Drought tolerant flowers
Summer is when you want your garden to be bursting with flowers. After carefully tending your garden through autumn, winter and spring, it's hard to watch your beloved plants shrivel up and drop their flowers in the intense summer sun. Plant these drought resistant perennial flowers, and when the heatwaves hit, your garden will continue to flourish:
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Agapanthus 'Brilliant Blue': Hailing from Southern Africa, agapanthus are accustomed to heat and drought conditions. This stunning variety blooms from summer through to early autumn. The clusters of trumpet-shaped blue flowers sit atop sturdy stems, making them an excellent choice for cut flowers. It's hardy across most of the UK and happy growing in pots as well as borders.
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Geranium 'Max Frei': Hardy geraniums grow from rhizomes, meaning they can store energy underground, protected from heat and cold temperatures. Geranium 'Rozanne' is a good all-rounder and loved for its flowers, but Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei' is more drought tolerant and grows well in sunny borders and rock gardens. Its green foliage turns red in autumn and purple-pink flowers bloom in summer.
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Aster x frikartii 'Mönch': Come rain or shine, this aster flowers from mid summer through to the first frost, producing lavender daisy-like flowers that provide food for pollinators. It does need water to help it establish strong roots, but once mature, it copes well and will flower throughout dry spells.
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Allium 'Purple Sensation': Alliums are very drought tolerant and, unless the spring is unusually dry, require no watering. These spring bulbs come in various sizes, but Allium 'Purple Sensation' is a versatile mid-height variety that looks spectacular planted in drifts or among other perennials.
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Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm': A hardy, low-maintenance perennial that looks its best in the late summer sun. Rudbeckias need regular watering initially to develop a dense root system, which then helps the plants cope with dry conditions. Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' is an RHS recommended variety with golden yellow daisy-like flowers.
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Agastache 'Blue Fortune': Bees and butterflies adore the spikes of lavender-blue flowers that bloom from July through to September, and the deep roots and aromatic, strap-like leaves help agastache survive drought conditions. Some agastache struggle with cold winters, but Agastache 'Blue Fortune' is a hardy perennial that can cope with severe frosts as long as the ground isn't too wet.
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Echinacea purpurea: This popular perennial with its pink flowers has similar requirements to rudbeckia, in that it prefers fertile, well-drained soil and lots of sun. Traditionally grown for herbal medicine, this variety forms a clump of roots, unlike other echinaceas that have deep taproots, which allows it to be divided.
Drought tolerant green plants
Many drought resistant plants have a silvery tint to their foliage, which helps protect their leaves from strong sunlight. This adds variety and lightness to planting schemes, but for a more varied colour palette or a tropical or jungle garden, you need to seek out plants with green leaves. Many ferns can cope with dry conditions, and the following plants will make your drought tolerant garden feel lush and green:
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Euphorbia characias subsp. Wulfenii: Euphorbia is a varied genus that includes some of the toughest plants for UK gardens. This variety lights up dry gardens and borders in late winter and spring with its chartreuse-green flowers, and the blue-green evergreen foliage adds year-round colour. It's very drought tolerant but also copes surprisingly well with our wet UK winters.
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Fatsia japonica: This large-leaved shrub adds a lush, tropical feel to any garden. Despite the huge leaves, it is surprisingly drought resistant when planted in the ground. Fatsia japonica (and its silver-leaved sister Fatsia 'Spiders Web') can be planted in full sun, but it will cope better with prolonged dry spells when planted in shade.
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Festuca 'AmiGold': This vibrant yellow-green grass is confusingly part of the blue festuca (Festuca glauca) family. These are some of the most drought-tolerant ornamental grasses and are a great option for dry gardens and exposed locations.
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Rosa 'Sunset flower': This ground cover rose spreads laterally, forming a carpet of dark green, glossy foliage. Clusters of small, scented, orange-red roses bloom throughout the summer. Drought tolerant, disease resistant and hardy down to -15°C, it's an excellent choice for sunny gardens with well-drained soil.
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Hedera helix: Young ivy plants need moisture, but once established, common ivy thrives in poor soils and copes well with dry conditions. Its flowers and berries are important sources of food for pollinators and birds, and its deep green foliage provides shelter for birds and a backdrop for more colourful plants.
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Alchemilla mollis: This adaptable plant is designed for the UK's changing climate. It grows in sun or partial shade, and can handle both wet winter soils and dry summer conditions. Scalloped green leaves add texture to borders and are accompanied by frothy yellow flowers in summer.
Drought resistant plants for pots
Unless you are growing succulents, you'll always need to water plants grown in containers, as the soil is quick to dry out. Even if it rains, the water rarely reaches the base of the plant, as it runs off the leaves. However, choosing drought tolerant container plants is still worthwhile, as you can water them less frequently and they're more likely to survive if you go away on holiday. Alpine and coastal plants are often good choices, as they're adapted to dry soil and tight spaces, but here are some other options for colourful containers:
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Erigeron karvinskianus: This often underrated perennial embraces summer heatwaves and droughts, flowering continually throughout the summer. Its mounding foliage spills over the edge of walls, pots or hanging baskets, and the white and pink flowers attract bees and other pollinators.
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Pelargonium hortorum 'Mrs. Pollock': Heat-loving pelargoniums make light work of droughts. Similar to succulents, their fleshy stems and leaves store moisture, helping them survive dry spells. While they flourish in the summer sun, tender geraniums shrink from the slightest frost, so you can either grow them as annual bedding plants or bring them inside over winter.
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Tagetes erecta 'Marvel Orange': African marigolds produce large pompon-like flowers on strong stems. Taller than their French counterparts, they are also more tolerant of drought and dry soils. Deadhead flowers regularly to keep plants blooming through to the first frost.
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Osteospernum: The African daisy is a colourful, sun loving plant which produces masses of purple, pink, white or yellow flowers from late spring to late summer. Although generally grown as annuals, they may survive a very mild winter.
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Dianthus barbatus (sweet William): These beautiful scented flowers bloom in shades of pink, purple or white. You can grow sweet Williams in borders or pots. Water them well to help them settle in, after which it can survive short dry spells, though it will flower better when watered.
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Senecio candidans 'Angel Wings': While many drought resistant plants have silver-green foliage, this eye-catching perennial is pure silver-white. Its large leaves have a soft, velvety texture from tiny hairs that help the plant conserve moisture. Senecio 'Angel Wings' is borderline hardy in the UK and is best moved to a frost-free greenhouse for the winter.
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Lavatera 'Barnsley Baby': All lavateras are drought resistant once established and produce masses of flowers throughout the summer. This dwarf variety is perfect for growing in containers, and its pale pink flowers with dark eyes will draw pollinators to your patio.
Dry garden plants
Many drought tolerant plants thrive in infertile, dry soil. These gravel garden plants usually originate from Mediterranean or alpine areas, and the main risk to them in the UK is our cool, wet winters. The following plants are all adapted to grow well in very thin soils and are hardy enough to cope with UK winter temperatures:
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Achillea 'Terracotta': Achillea millefolium is a native wildflower that seems able to cope with anything the UK weather can throw at it. Hardy, long-lived and loved by pollinators, it thrives in thin soils and full sun and will flower through droughts and heatwaves. This cultivar has beautiful burnt-orange flowers that fade to yellow, then cream as they mature.
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Perovskia 'Little Spire': A shorter Russian sage with deeply cut, aromatic silver-green leaves and spikes of violet-blue flowers. It's ideal for gravel gardens, chalky soils and coastal gardens, and will suffer more from overwatering than underwatering.
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Sempervivums: Houseleeks are colourful succulents that can survive extreme heat and cold as well as prolonged drought. A super low-maintenance, verging on no-maintenance plant for gravel gardens and shallow containers.
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Cytisus scoparius 'Lena': This semi-evergreen shrub can cope with exposed locations and thin soils. It looks rather like gorse, but without the nasty spikes. The main attraction is the profusion of fiery red, orange and yellow flowers that bloom in spring and are loved by bees.
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Stipa 'Pony Tails': This graceful, feathery grass catches the lightest breeze, adding movement and texture to borders and dry gardens. It looks particularly beautiful in late summer and autumn, when the golden flowers and leaves glow in the evening sun. Stipa tenuissima provides a wonderful backdrop for colourful perennials like Echinacea, Verbena and Achillea.
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Echinops ritro: Like Eryngium, Echinops are tough plants with deep taproots and silvery-green foliage. Originating from gravelly hillsides in Mediterranean countries, once established, it can handle the most extreme droughts without additional water. The beautiful blue, spherical flower heads bloom from midsummer.
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Sedum 'Chocolate Cherry': Sedums are perfect for low-maintenance gardens and lazy gardeners! Their succulent-like foliage helps these hardy perennials store water, so they'll thrive in dry spells, even if you don't have time to water them. Technically now called Hylotelephium, these hardy perennials need plenty of sun and very well-drained soil.
Drought tolerant shade plants
Sun-loving plants are naturally more adapted to dry conditions, whereas most plants that grow in shade need moist, fertile soil to grow well. Finding plants that thrive in shady conditions and can cope with long, dry spells is a tricky proposition, but fortunately, there are some good options for both foliage and flowers:
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Anemone × hybrida 'Honorine Jobert': One of the most drought-tolerant Japanese anemones, the pure white flowers of 'Honorine Jobert' light up partially shaded areas in late summer and early autumn. To make sure it's resilient to drought, you need to water new plants for the first year or two.
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Polypodium vulgare: A native, evergreen fern that grows pretty much anywhere. Like most plants, it needs regular watering for its first season, but after that it can handle dry shade, including under trees. It spreads naturally, making it a good ground cover option.
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Polystichum 'Herrenhausen': This adaptable fern will grow in full sun, as long as it's well watered, but it prefers partial or full shade. It's more tolerant of dry conditions than other ferns, but to give it the best chance of success, water it deeply and regularly for the first year.
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Vinca 'Bowles's Variety': A resilient cultivar of Vinca minor with evergreen foliage and violet-blue flowers in spring and summer. When mature and grown in shade, it copes well with drought and forms a weed-suppressing mat that helps prevent the soil from drying out.
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Liriope 'Moneymaker': One of the best flowering plants for dry shade, Liriope muscari 'Moneymaker' sends up spikes of purple flowers in late summer. Small tubers develop on the root system over time, which store water and nutrients and help the plant through dry periods. It will grow in full shade, but you'll get better flowers if it's planted in partial or dappled shade.
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Trachelospermum jasminoides: Many climbing plants struggle in dry conditions, but star jasmine is fairly drought tolerant, as long as you water it until it reaches a decent size. Your patience will be rewarded, as star jasmine is long-lived and stronger plants will need less watering in future years.
Drought tolerant trees
Trees planted today face a tough challenge. They need to prosper in today's climate, but also be resilient enough to survive 20 or 50 years in the future. Trees are a long-term investment, so make sure you choose a tree that's suited to your garden and look after it in the first few years, so it can develop strong, healthy roots. The following trees are renowned for being particularly drought resistant:
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Olea europaea: Olive trees flourish in hot, dry conditions and are accustomed to prolonged droughts. In the UK, they're more at risk from wet, cold winters, so if you're planting one in heavy clay soil, mix in plenty of organic matter to help with drainage. Olive trees also grow well in pots, though they may need protection in very cold winters.
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Ginkgo biloba: This ancient species is native to China and has developed multiple adaptive strategies to help it survive different environmental conditions. During periods of drought, the leaves become smaller and the roots elongate, helping the tree draw up moisture from deep in the soil. The maidenhair tree, as it's commonly known, is slow growing and takes several decades to reach maturity.
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Sorbus aria 'Lutescens': A cultivar of the native whitebeam, this deciduous tree grows well in dry or chalky soils and can tolerate windy locations. Scented, pale yellow flowers bloom in May and are followed by bright red berries.
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Trachycarpus fortunei: Embrace the heat and give your garden a tropical feel with this evergreen palm tree. The Chusan palm is hardy in most parts of the UK, and once established, it needs little to no watering, even in droughts.
Caring for drought tolerant plants
Planting drought tolerant plants will save you time and money on your water bills, but there is one important caveat: most plants are drought tolerant once established. This means that they need to grow and develop their root systems to a scale whereby they can cope with prolonged dry periods.
In practice, this means you will need to water young plants occasionally for their first spring and summer. Larger shrubs and trees may need additional watering for up to three years. This may feel counterintuitive when you're choosing plants to reduce watering needs, but it's time well spent. Giving your plants a helping hand to get started means you'll end up with stronger, more resilient plants that will look after themselves in the future.
Adding a thick layer of mulch is the best way to conserve water and prevent weeds from springing up to compete with your plants for water.
