Some areas in the UK have been under the hosepipe ban since April 5th. This can have both a bad effect on your plants and your back from carrying those watering cans!

Make it easier on yourself and your garden by planting drought-tolerant plants. Using a hosepipe or sprinkler system made keeping plants healthy easy, but we can no longer rely on a constant supply of water to make your garden almost maintenance-free and still full of summer colour.

If you are not affected by the hosepipe ban but still want to plant your border in full sun, drought-tolerant plants are the best solution. Even moist climates occasionally have droughts and certain parts of your garden may be drier than you think.

For more information on the Hosepipe Ban, check out our How to Beat the Hosepipe Ban blog page!

As climate change presents us with the possibility of hotter, drier summers it becomes increasingly important to plant according to our environment. Drought tolerant plants will withstand the heat and need less water throughout the summer months.

There are drought-tolerant plants available for pots as well as beds and borders. These will be brilliant if you have a balcony greatly exposed to the sun, or a patio with no shade. Luckily, drought-tolerant plants are usually tolerant to the poor soil as well, so if flowers find it difficult to flourish in your garden try these plants instead.

You may not have realised that a lot of your favourite plants are drought tolerant. Gardener’s favourites Geranium Fire Queen, Begonia Sahara and Petunia Lake Garda are all drought tolerant.

However, if you’re looking for something unusual to add texture to your garden, try the following:
Yucca Colour Guard, A striking shrub that is hardy and drought-resistant. This Yucca produces creamy white flowers when mature.
Euphorbia myrsinites, a stunning blue-green plant perfect for rockeries and planting along paths and walls.
Salvia Desert Fire, this stunning bright red plant has unrivalled heat tolerance. It’s compact in nature and perfect for a drought-prone border.

Get started on planning your garden, purchasing your drought tolerant plants and watching them flourish!

• First, you need to plan it. Sketch a plan of your garden and think about the available space, soil condition and amount of light available. Drought tolerant plants can be placed in direct sunlight, so don’t worry about providing shade.
• Choose which plants suit you and your gardening needs. A lot of drought-tolerant plants have silvery leaves to reflect the light, but some aren’t so obvious. There is such a large range of drought-tolerant plants available, you will easily find what you’re looking for!
• Choose high water areas to be productive, useful and fill in the rest of the area with natives and other drought-tolerant plants.
• Water your drought-tolerant plants straight after they are planted, then let them live off any rainwater (if we get any). If it doesn’t rain, water your drought-tolerant plants occasionally – but not too much!
• Creating a drought-tolerant garden isn’t just about the plants. If you have a garden with a large lawn and lots of fragile flower beds, it’s best to make some changes. Create paths, plant trees and hardy plants instead of bedding plants. This will minimise the amount of maintenance and water you use.