All this hot sun and lack of rain has got us rethinking some of the plants in our garden, in favour of those that can withstand the hot, dry summers that may well become the norm. By growing plants that can withstand dry periods we can be more sparing with watering, saving on vital resources. ⁠

Read on for our pick of plants for sunny spaces…

Olive trees

Olive tree. Image by Anna Khomutova via Pexels

Olives are native to the Mediterranean so they thrive in heat and poor soil.⁠ We have ours in a pot and are experimenting by under-planting it with herbs that can also withstand the sun, thyme is bearing up the best, while the more delicate leaved herbs like Oregano did not do so well. We love Olive trees for their silvery leaves and easy-going nature. A brilliant tree for small, sunny gardens.

Care tips for growing olives

Plant or position your olive tree in a sunny and sheltered spot and keep it fed regularly over the summer months. In winter it may need protection from frost with a blanket or fleece wrapped around it. Olives are fairly slow growing so won’t need regular trimming or pruning.

With extreme heat the leaves can yellow and drop so we are watching ours carefully and watering when necessary.

Rosemary

Rosemary plants are both beautiful and useful. Probably our most dependable and most used herb in the garden. Ours grows in a pot on a sunny patio.

Care tips for Rosemary

Position your Rosemary in a sunny spot, it will be happy either in a bed or a pot where you can appreciate the look of the plant as well as the scent. Rosemary likes a free draining soil, so make sure it’s planted with added material to encourage draining, such as grit, bark, or crocks (broken up ceramic or terracotta placed in the bottom of a pot).

Rosemary can withstand the heat and dry spells but won’t thrive in long periods of drought so keep an eye and water when necessary.

Rosemary can be cut back after flowering each year to stop it becoming woody and bare stemmed.

Agave

Agave are one of our favourite plants for the architectural shape they bring to a garden. They look great in a rocky border if you have the space, or in pots on a sunny patio or table. They have sharp spines so watch the kids and animals around Agave. Plus, they can grow huge so be mindful of your space.

Care tips for Agave

Agave are native to the arid regions of the Americas, such as Mexico and the Caribbean so they thrive in hot dry sun and will tolerate drought.

They don’t require much care but will need protecting from frosts in winter with a blanket or fleece, or those in pots can be brought indoors.

Grasses (such as Pennisetum)

Grasses make such a beautiful addition to sunny gardens, adding a soft texture and billowing movement in the breeze. Pennisetum varieties have fluffy seed heads which bring added interest to the garden in Autumn.

Care tips for Pennisetum

Pennisetum are native to many hot areas of the world such as grasslands of Africa and Australia, meaning they thrive in sunny conditions, so plant in a border in full sun with free draining soil. You can add bark or grit when planting to aid drainage.

Eryngium

Eryngium (also known as sea holly) are one of our favourites for its silvery blue colour and sculptural silhouette which makes great contrast to softer looking plants like grasses and the pollinators love it! It also makes a great cut flower or dried flower.

Eryngium care tips

Plant Eryngium in a sunny border with free draining soil, you can add grit or bark into the planting hole to aid drainage. They don’t want to be sitting in damp soil for long periods over winter but are generally fuss-free. Eryngium will cope well with dry spells so are ideal for hot summers and their seed heads look great into autumn and winter. Eryngium also look great in gravel gardens planted alongside grasses and Echinacea.

Passion flower

Passion flowers, also known as Passiflora is a vigorous climber, perfect for a sunny wall or fence They have fascinating flowers and springy spiral tendrils that kids will love.

Passion Flower care tips

Passiflora is evergreen and produce lots of flowers over the summer months. It’s a fast grower so will need to be managed to avoid it taking over the garden, you can keep trimming it back after flowering, cutting back to a bud, or it can be given a more extensive cut back in the spring.⁠

Passion flowers may need to be protected in winter, especially in colder areas of the country.

There’s lots more garden inspo on our blog including ‘Expert tips for designing your outside space’

Plants for hot dry summers