Drought Tolerant Plants

With our increasingly dry summers and hosepipe bans regularly being introduced for much of the country; it’s more important than ever to choose plants which can tolerate these challenging conditions. Drought resistant plants originate from hot and dry areas of the world. They adapt in their native habitats by becoming deeper rooting, and their leaves are often silver, hairy, sticky, scented, succulent, needle-like or waxy to help reduce the effects of the heat. We’ve put together a list of plants to help you with your drought tolerant garden!

Give plants a helping hand

Even drought resistant plants will need some water in their first year whilst they establish, but there are a few things you can do to help your plants cope with dry conditions:

1. Improve your soil before planting by working in lots of organic matter such as well rotted manure or compost. Organic matter acts as a sponge and is highly water-retentive, as well as providing nutrients for your plants.
2. Before planting, soak the root balls of your plants in a bucket of water until they are wet through. This will prevent them drying out too quickly as they adjust to their new home.
3. Mulch around your plants in the spring using organic matter, slate chips, gravel, bark or pebbles to reduce water evaporation.
4. Water young plants deeply every few days rather than little and often. This encourages deeper rooting rather than surface roots and will help plants tolerate drought conditions once they are established.

See our ‘Water-saving tips for your garden’ article for more advice on saving water!

Drought tolerant plants for sun

Drought tolerant trees and shrubs	Drought tolerant perennial and biennial plants	Drought tolerant annual plants
Acacia	Achillea	Californian Poppy
Buddleja	Allium	Diascia
Cordyline	Anthemis	Gazania
Eleagnus	Aubrieta	Mesembryanthemum
Eucalyptus	Bearded Iris	Poppies (Papaver)
Fig	Creeping Phlox	Verbena
Goji berry	Eryngium
Hebe	Evening Primrose
Helianthemum	Fritillaria persica
Jasmine	Gaillardia
Juniper	Hardy Ice Plant
Lavatera	Oriental Poppy
Lavender	Osteospermum
Passiflora caerulea (Passion Flower)	Pennisetum alopecuroides
Perovskia	Rainbow Lily
Pine	Red Hot Poker
Robinia	Sedum
Winter Honeysuckle	Verbascum
	Verbena bonariensis
	Wallflower

Drought tolerant plants for shade

Drought tolerant plants for shade
Cyclamen neopolitanum and Cyclamen coum
Euphorbia
Foxglove
Geranium pratense
Hypericum
Lily of the Valley
Sarcococca

• Quick Links:

  • Water saving tips for your garden
  • 'How to' Gardening Guides

The succulent leaves of Delosperma help them resist drought.

Improve your soil before planting by working in lots of organic matter - this acts like a sponge and is highly water retentive.

Water your plants deeply every few days rather than little and often, to encourage deeper rooting.