Plants for drought-prone gardens with berries and blooms

Plenty of plants thrive in drought prone areas, so it's possible to create a full and attractive border even in these sometimes challenging conditions

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Foliage shapes can be used to create striking effects
Foliage shapes can be used to create striking effects

Quick facts

  • Drought conditions can means plants struggle to take up moisture
  • Drought conditions are more likely to occur due to climate change
  • Plants that have adapted to drought conditions (e.g., with silver or hairy leaves) can thrive in these sites
  • Newly planted plants are particularly vulnerable

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The planting plan

James Lawrence, RHS Principal Horticultural Advisor, has designed this simple, attractive, and most importantly, sustainable, border design for you to try at home with plants that are easy to grow, widely available and look good together. 
This planting design provides a range of plants with a yellow and purple theme, that once established will thrive in an environment that can be low in soil moisture while still providing a variety of interest throughout the year.  

Drought tolerant with berries and blooms

© James Lawrence

Choosing plants for a drought prone garden

Typical plant adaptations to dry conditions are shown on many of these plants. Glossy foliage such as that shown on the Pyracantha, Elaeagnus and Yucca, reduces moisture loss through the leaf surface. Small waxy leaves such as those on the Genista are also adapted to reduce moisture loss. A further adaptation is shown on the Yucca as the thick and slightly fleshy foliage can store moisture in the plant to help sustain it during periods of drought. 
The Salvia forms a groundcover which helps protect the soil surface from erosion and moisture loss associated with bare earth. Covering exposed bare soil will also reduce the ability of unwanted plants seeding into bare patches. 

Additional organic mulching can further help with soil moisture retention and weed suppression.
1 -  Pyracantha ‘Saphyr Rouge’
2 - Verbena bonariensis
3 - Elaeagnus × submacrophylla ‘Limelight’
 
4 - Yucca flaccida ‘Golden Sword’
5 - Genista 'Porlock'
6 - Salvia ‘Nachtvlinder’

1 - Pyracantha ‘Saphyr Rouge’ is an evergreen shrub with glossy, narrow leaves, spiny shoots and clusters of white flowers in early summer, followed by orange-red berries.  
2 - Verbena bonariensis is a tall herbaceous perennial with strong branching stems bearing airy clusters of small, bright purple flowers from summer to autumn. 
3 - Elaeagnus × submacrophylla ‘Limelight’ is an evergreen shrub with spiny brown shoots bearing bright yellow leaves narrowly margined with dark green. Small, fragrant white flowers are produced in autumn. 
4 - Yucca flaccida ‘Golden Sword’ is an evergreen with rosettes of drooping sword-like leaves, green with a broad central, pale-yellow stripe. Spikes of creamy-white, bell-shaped flowers are produced in mid-to-late summer on tall stems.  
5 - Genista ‘Porlock’ is a semi-evergreen, medium-sized shrub with green stems and small leaves, covered in fragrant, bright yellow flowers in spring. 
6 - Salvia ‘Nachtvlinder’ is a semi-evergreen sub-shrub, with small, aromatic, green leaves. Dark maroon-purple flowers in loose terminal clusters, are borne over a long period from late spring to autumn. 

About drought prone areas

Drought prone areas can be caused in different ways, including a lack of rainfall locally, the rain shadow created by buildings, excessive runoff, and compaction preventing water from penetrating the soil. The regular addition of organic matter in the soil can really help with water retention. 
By choosing plants that are adapted to drought conditions you can keep your border looking good and growing well. However, your plants will need watering for the first year until they grow new roots down into reliably damp earth. These plants are drought tolerant so they will survive periods of drought but not for an extended time. 
A simple planting plan helps create depth, interest and good coverage in a border. 

The challenge of growing plants in drought prone locations

Sun and wind can increase the rate of moisture loss from soil and from plants, so if you have the space, creating some shade to reduce evaporation from direct sunlight and/or a windbreak to reduce the effect of wind, may help. 

Why choose a sustainable planting combination?

Using the ethos of 'right plant, right place' to create a sustainable planting combination is great for the environment. It helps avoid waste and the use of products and practices needed to try and help ailing plants, such as the application of fertiliser. It also creates robust, long-lived planting that benefits soil health and garden biodiversity. 

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.