Plant suggestions

Wildlifelover

Evening,

Now I’m in the second full year of having a garden, I have learned (the hard way) that our garden, which is south facing, has very free draining soil and any plants that require some moisture need watering more than I really have the time for. Plants such as Monarda, Polemonium and Cirsium atropurpureum don’t really thrive and end up with powdery mildew.

Plants I have that do well include Nepeta, Hylotelephium, Caryopteris, Geum, Aquilegia, Geraniums, Echinops, Phlomis, Salvia’s etc. 

Could someone please recommend some other perennials which are good for hot, dry borders?

Many thanks!

B3

Many perennials will do well in hot dry borders but they need to be watered well for the first year while they establish. Are you able to do this?.

Wildlifelover

Yeah, I think so. I just need some plants to replace the aforementioned plants I’ll be moving. 

Thanks. 

alexwildliferescue

I have south facing garden that can be dry for long periods of time. I have loads of flowers that do well for prolonged dry periods. Lupins, fox gloves, iris, crocosmia, snap dragons and alpines. The only one I do need to water at time is my purple echinacea. I would water well all plants when first planted. 

Loxley

Erigeron karvinskianus, Origanum "Herrenhausen", Dianthus carthusianorum and Verbena bonariensis have all done well for me in hot dry parts of my garden. Bearded irises would be great too. I'm sure Beth Chattos have some good suggestions on their website.

GardenerSuze

Erodium, Kniphofia, Stipa, Nassella, Verbena Bampton, V Hastata, helianthemum, Parahebe,Sisyrinchium Biscutella.
For shade Epimedium Spine tingler, E Domino. 

Dovefromabove

Achillea do well in dry gardens. There are various varieties. 

See if you can get hold of the late Beth Chatto’s book Drought resistant Planting, or her book Dry Garden, and take a look here 
https://www.bethchatto.co.uk/conditions/plants-for-dry-conditions/# 

She was the expert in coping with difficult conditions … visiting her garden is a real gardening education. 

GardenerSuze

To go with your phlomis you could try Santolina Rosmarinifolia. Photos on Beth Chatto website. 

JennyJ

Verbascums do well for me (free draining sandy soil), and so do veronicas and veronicastrums work well for me, as well as many of the things that everyone else has mentioned. Knautia as well, although I usually treat them like biennials and let them self-sow. Artemisias silver queen and Valerie Finnis (Powys Castle does less well although on paper it should suit). Most salvias, but particularly the shrubby ones. Penstemons do surprisingly well. The perennial Teucrium "Purple Tails" as well as the shrubby T. fruticans. I treat russian sage (Perovskia) as a perennial, cutting it back pretty low in the spring.

robairdmacraignil

Lavender, rosemary, thyme, sage, curry plant (Helichrysum italicum), lamb's ear plant, potentilla and sedums might work.

Happy gardening!

TheGreenMan

I have Mexican Fleabane, loads of different nepeta, Geum, lupins, anthemis, Spirea, a few different euphorbia, scabious, lavender, thyme, verbena b, aquilegia, creeping phlox, campanula, armeria, Moroccan daisies, cirsium, knautia, achillea, sedums….

I water when they’re new and keep them topped up for the first season. I’ve not watered the ones I put in last year and they’re thriving. My front is south facing and dry (the ants love it!)