Make the most of water Choose drought-tolerant plants

If your area is prone to drought, it makes sense to grow plants that can cope with less water. The following are not only remarkably drought-tolerant but look good, too. Anything 100% hardy is best planted just after the first autumn downpours. With luck, the soil will stay at least reasonably moist until spring so your new plants will be less dependent on you watering them while they're establishing.

Fatsia japonica

Fatsia japonica

5 of the best drought-tolerant shrubs

  • Skimmia japonica
  • Fatsia japonica (castor oil plant)
  • Cornus alba (dogwood)
  • Holly
  • Euonymus fortunei

 

seaholly

Sea holly (eryngium)

5 of the best drought-tolerant perennials

  • Euphorbias
  • Hardy geraniums
  • Sedums (ice plants)
  • Eryngium (sea holly)
  • Allium cristophii

 

cineraria

Cineraria 'Silver Dust'

5 of the best drought-tolerant bedding

  • Tagetes
  • Cineraria ‘Silver Dust’
  • Argyranthemum (marguerite)
  • Pelargoniums
  • Bidens
Which? works for you