Leaf adaptations allow plants to withstand heat and drought well. The hairy foliage of the Helianthemum and the leathery leaves of the Berberis reduce water loss from the foliage.
The Geum and Rudbeckia help provide ground cover and will slow the erosion of bare soil. The ground cover can also help to reduce soil surface moisture evaporation and will suppress weed growth.
Additional organic mulch, preferably homemade compost, can further help with soil moisture retention and weed suppression.
Several of these plants will also attract vital pollinators to your garden, helping to improve biodiversity.
1 – Cornus sanguinea ‘Magic Flame’ is an upright, Deciduous refers to plants (mainly trees and shrubs) that lose their leaves seasonally, usually during autumn. This is a natural process triggered by the season's shorter days and lower temperatures and allows plants to conserve energy during the winter months.
2 – Spirea japonica 'Golden Princess' is a bushy deciduous shrub with leaves that open reddish-bronze, become rich gold in summer, and turn reddish in autumn. Flattened heads of bright rosy-pink flowers appear in late summer.
3 – Berberis darwinii is a dense, medium-sized evergreen shrub, with sparsely spined, dark glossy green leaves. Clusters of rich orange flowers in spring, tinged red when in bud, are followed by blue-black berries in late summer.
4 – Rudbeckia fulgida var. deamii is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial, with black-eyed bright yellow daisies rising above hairy dark green leaves from late summer to mid autumn.
5 – Geum ‘Mrs J. Bradshaw’ is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial, with semi-double, rich scarlet flowers held on wiry stems above hairy dark green leaves in summer.
6 – Helianthemum ‘Fire Dragon’ is a spreading evergreen shrub to 30cm tall, with narrow grey-green leaves. Flowers are bright orange-red, darker in the centre, and are borne in late spring and early summer.