Drought tolerant, low maintenance
Drought tolerant plants in this group will need watering weekly in dry weather for the first year or two while they grow deep roots. After that, they'll generally be happy with 2-4 weeks without water. ; Top tip: Climate change is making our summers drier, so dig in organic matter (compost or soil improvers) to improve soil structure and water retention capability. Also, collect rainwater by installing water butts.
Best plants for drought
461 plants
Drought, low maintenance climbers
68 plants
Drought, low maintenance containers
600 plants
Drought, low maintenance in shade
368 plants
Drought, low maintenance in sun
1470 plants
Drought, low maintenance trees & conifers
192 plants
Drought tolerant roses
64 plants
Shady border, drought collection
153 plants
Sunny border, drought collection
249 plants
All plants (2388)
Buddleja davidii var. nanhoensis
Orange eye butterfly bush, Summer lilac, Butterfly bush
Campanula garganica 'Hirsuta'
Adriatic bellflower, Dalmation bellflower, Gargano bellflower
Campanula glomerata 'Bellefleur Blue'
Clustered bellflower, Danesblood bellflower
Ceanothus 'Blue Cushion'
California lilac
Ceanothus 'Cynthia Postan'
California lilac, Redroot
Ceanothus 'Tuxedo'
California lilac, Chocolate leaf
Choisya Royal Lace = 'Pmoore06'
Mexican Orange Blossom
Cistus creticus subsp. incanus
Hairy rock rose
Cistus ladanifer 'Blanche'
Cretan rock rose, Gum cistus
Cistus ladanifer 'Pat'
Cretan rock rose, Gum cistus
Cistus populifolius subsp. major
Woolly-fruited poplar leaved rock rose
Cistus x aguilarii 'Maculatus'
Rock rose
Coreopsis grandiflora 'Sun Up'
Large flowered tickseed, Lance coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata 'Walter'
Lance leaf tickseed, Tickseed
Cortaderia selloana 'Pink Feather'
Sellow's pampas grass
Crocosmia 'Prince of Orange'
Golden montbretia
Cupressus arizonica 'Fastigiata Aurea'
Arizona cypress, Smooth cypress
Cupressus macrocarpa 'Golden Cone'
Monterey cypress
Cytisus 'Burkwoodii'
Broom
Cytisus scoparius f. andreanus
Common broom, Scotch broom, Broom
Cytisus x kewensis
Kew broom, Broom
Cytisus x praecox 'Lilac Lady'
Broom, Warminster broom
Elaeagnus x submacrophylla 'Moonlight'
Hybrid oleaster
Epimedium 'Enchantress'
Barrenwort, Bishop's hat, Fairy wings
Epimedium x warleyense 'Orangekönigin'
Barrenwort
Erigeron karvinskianus 'Kew Profusion'
Mexican fleabane, Australian fleabane, Wall daisy
Eryngium 'Magical Blue Globe'
Sea holly
Erysimum 'Bowles's Me Away'
Perennial wallflower
Erysimum mutabile
Changeable wallflower
Euonymus fortunei 'Kewensis'
Wintercreeper, Evergreen bittersweet, Dwarf euonymus
Euonymus japonicus 'Latifolius Albomarginatus'
Japanese spindle
Festuca gautieri 'AmiGreen®'
Bearskin fescue
Festuca glauca 'Compacta Blue'
Blue festuca, Blue Sheep's festuca
Festuca valesiaca 'Silbersee'
Wallis fescue
Genista maderensis
Madeira broom
Genista tinctoria 'Royal Gold'
Dyer's greenwood, Common woadwaxen, Dyers broom
Geranium dalmaticum 'Album'
Dalmation cranesbill
Geranium himalayense 'Irish Blue'
Lilac cranesbill, Himalayan cranesbill
Geranium maculatum f. albiflorum
American cranesbill, Wild cranesbill, Wild geranium, Spotted cranesbill
Geranium versicolor 'Snow White'
Pencilled crane's bill
Geranium wallichianum 'Crystal Lake'
Wallich's geranium
Helianthemum 'Fire Dragon'
Rock rose
Helianthemum 'Pink Angel'
Common sun rose, Rock rose
Helianthemum 'Raspberry Ripple'
Rock rose
Helianthemum 'Rhodanthe Carneum'
Rock rose
Helianthemum 'Salmon Queen'
Rock rose
Helianthemum double pink-flowered
Rock rose
Helianthus 'Monarch'
Sunflower