The 20 Drought-resistant Plants and Shrubs

With the common name of Californian lilac, it's hardly surprising that it grows well in dry conditions. This evergreen spring-flowering shrub will grow up to 2.5m. Described as hardy, it needs a sheltered spot away from chilly winds. In the right spot, it makes a spectacular shrub. Growing tips and advice.

Lavatera grows up to around 2m with an abundance of lovely pink flowers throughout the summer, which resemble hollyhocks. Classified H5, this drought-resistant shrub will flower best in a sheltered spot. Relatively short-lived shrubs.  An easy to grow deciduous shrub. Images and growing tips.

Cistus likes dry, sunny conditions. Its common name is Rock or Sun Rose. It is a medium-sized shrub. It is evergreen, although it may lose some leaves over winter. It is summer flowering in shades of white, cream and soft pink and only H3/4 hardy, but the drier the conditions, the more likely it is to survive the winter. more info.

Lavender, a garden favourite, will not only thrive on dry soil, but it positively hates wet soil, in which it performs poorly.

There is an enormous range of lavenders to choose from in size, colour and hardiness.

More images and growing tips.

An excellent culinary herb and attractive shrub, rosmarinus officinalis will tolerate dry soil. It is best planted in a sheltered spot away from cold winds, with plenty of sun. Its leaves are aromatic. The shrub will reach around 2m, although it can become woody with age. It has small blue flowers, but if you constantly snip the tips (as I do) for cooking, you may reduce flowering.

A low-growing shrub that thrives in dry, sunny spots, Santolina looks attractive as illustrated here, planted around a stone.

It has aromatic leaves, reaches about .5m, is evergreen and is summer flowering. Its common name is cotton lavender, and it is hardy to H5.

Perovskia is classified as a sub-shrub, somewhere between a plant and a shrub. It is a woody plant with aromatic leaves, a bee magnet, which grows to around 1.2-1.5m, tolerant of dry, poor soils and best grown in full sun. Fully hardy, late flowering throughout August and September, its common name is Russian Sage.

Most grey and silver leaved plants cope well with dry conditions and look good planted together - silver planting ideas, tips and planting advice. Illustrated here is a particularly nice form of Artemisa ' Valarie Finnis'. Many of the silver-leaved plants are Mediterranean in origin and accommodate dry conditions easily. 

A lovely silver ground cover plant that has soft downy leaves. It has spikes of purple flowers which appear small and insignificant, but are much loved by bees, including the wool carder bee. Hardy H7, ideal for growing in dry soils in full sun. Common name lambs ears. More info.

This a herbaceous perennial, long flowering from late spring throughout summer. It is very tolerant of dry soils and has daisy-type flowers. It is low growing, reaching a maximum of .5m. It will grow in full sun and tolerate partial shade. It is a self seeder, hardy H5, and its common name is Mexican Fleabane. Growing tips.

Sedums love a dry, sunny spot and are a magnet for bees, pollinators of all types, and butterflies. They often visit the flowers even before they are fully open. Sedums range from low-growing ground cover to tall varieties reaching 1m. Most are fully hardy and as perennials, retain their shape over winter. Growing tips. .

Achillea will grow in full sun or partial shade. It is a herbaceous, summer-flowering perennial. An ideal border plant because of the wide range of flower colours, ranging from muted shades as illustrated, but also bright cerise, terracotta, yellow, red; much to choose from,and growing advice.

Agapanthus will tolerate dry conditions, especially once established. There are both evergreen and herbaceous varieties, and not all are fully hardy and may need winter protection and, in some areas, to be brought under cover, Agapanthus is ideal for growing in containers where the tendency to dry conditions will suit them. Tips and planting advice.

The common name is Sea Holly which makes sense given that the plant has thistle like flowers and is tolerant of salty conditions in coastal gardens. It flowers in shades of blue or white, easy to grow and low maintenance, with a range in heights from short .5m to 1.5m.  Mostly varieties are hardy to H5  and are best planted in a sheltered spot in full sun.

Echinops has silver-blue foliage and globes of blue flowers, which are loved by bees. It is very hardy, rated H7, and will thrive in both sun and partial shade, provided the soil has good drainage. Illustrated above, it looks lovely combined with Monarda and Stipa gigantea, making for a colourful late summer display.(credit image RHS Harlow Carr Jason Ingram)

Many grasses are drought-tolerant as is Stipa gigantea, with tall airy plumes of oat grass towering up to 2m it can look very dramatic in borders.

There are other grasses tolerant of dry conditions such as  Pennisetum, Miscanthus and blue grasses.

More about grasses

Verbascum is a perennial or biennial summer flowering plant tolerant of dry conditions. Verbascum will grow in poor dry soils and will not tolerate winter wet. All varieties have spikes of flowers some can be very tall up to 2m. It tends to self seed.

If you are looking for a drought resistant plant for a hanging basket, Pelargoniums are ideal. They will tolerate drought and hot sunshine. I grow them all the year round in a conservatory which can get very hot in the summer, but they survive the high temperature and lack of attention well.

Also known as Fox tail Lily, this is a tall perennial reaching up to 1.5m and grown from tubers planted in autumn. They will flower best if planted in a sunny position and well drained/dry conditions are essential. Although described as fully hardy, a mulch over the winter will help to protect the tubers. Eremurus will self seed.

The herb Thymus will also grow in poor dry soils and is often to be found in cracks and crevices. There is a wide range of Thyme varieties available with attractive flowers, which are much visited by bees. Thyme is a low growing mat forming hardy perennial, and it grows best in full sun.  More about growing herbs.

A good drought resistant perennial, it is also very attractive to pollinators and butterflies. It is a herbaceous perennial. Commonly grown is a tall variety up to around a metre, but you can also buy V. "Lollypop" a compact variety. 

Salvia does well in hot dry conditions. This variety illustrated is 'Hot lips'. Some Salvia are borderline hardy and may not return reliably in wet soil, which makes them a perfect plant for dry drought conditions. In addition it is very long flowering.

Jasminum fruticans, a semi-evergreen, summer-flowering shrub. Suited to both sun or partial shade once established, it is tough and drought-hardy. The image, which I took at Easton Walled Garden, fails to illustrate the lovely glossy leaves that make the yellow flowers stand out.