Drought Resistant Plants for the Heat

The temperatures are constantly climbing in the summer months, and adding in a few drought-resistant, sun-loving perennials into your garden and yard will cut back on your watering hours and also ensure a beautiful landscape year after year. 

In addition to their ability to thrive in harsh conditions, drought resistant plants shine in late summer and can be the crowning jewel of your garden when many other perennials are past their peak. We're here to share some of our favourite drought-resistant plants and tips on caring for them!

Lavender (Lavandula) 

Lavender is the classic Mediterranean beauty whose flowers and foliage also smell fresh and fragrant. The flowers range from magenta to almost blue and green to silver foliage. Choose English lavender with the slender bud stocks or Spanish lavender with meatier buds. You can find out more about all the different varieties of lavender over here in this blog post.

Euphorbia

These long leafy stocks are best known for their new and vibrant lime green leaves in early spring. By summer their leaves mellow into variegated patterns in a rainbow of colours. They can be statuesque at 2-3 feet tall or compact and would feel right at home in most gardens.

Coneflower (Echinacea)

One of the most fantastic drought tolerant plants, its sturdy and large blooms will continue to add colour to your garden all summer and into fall. There's also an added bonus of attracting lots of pollinators to your garden, and the option of drying the blooms after the season is done.  They love a super sunny spot in the garden and will actually become floppy and lethargic if they get too much shade.

Yarrow (Achillea)

These leggy flowers conjure up the feeling of a summer meadow and add a touch of whimsy, and a pop of colour, to your garden. The flowers come in a variety of hues from white and yellow to red and pink. The lacy leaves and long stems can range from silver to a deep green.

Sedum

More commonly known as hardy succulents, they do amazingly well outdoors in our climate on the West Coast. Sedums look great on their own, but even better in groups with contrasting sizes and colours. Though they are commonly used in rock gardens they also do well in containers, as edging and as a groundcover.

Lithodora

Lithodora is an understated evergreen groundcover that will mound slightly and also trail to add depth and dimension to your container or rock garden. It pairs especially well with heathers, which are in the same plant family

Catmint (Nepeta)

Related to Catnip, but much showier, your feline friends will thank you for adding this drought-resistant plant to your garden, and so will the butterflies and bees. Catmint blooms are purple-blue and long-lasting.

Dwarf Pampas (Cortaderia)

A smaller version of the classic grass, Dwarf Pampas, works well in containers and suits contemporary spaces, especially smaller gardens. In the summer, Dwarf Pampas acts as a privacy screen and the flamboyant plumes stay over the winter, giving you a plant that adds interest and colour year-round.

Thyme

It’s not just for your herb garden – ornamental varieties of thyme also work beautifully as a ground covering, in rock gardens, and as a spiller in hanging baskets. With a fast-spreading habit and low-lying leaves, thyme is the perfect plant for filling in between your paving stones. It also creates a delicious scent when you walk past, tastes wonderful in culinary dishes, and attracts pollinators.

Sea Holly (Eryngium)

Sea Holly was given that name because it does well in the harshest of ocean side conditions, such as rocky or sandy soil with high salt content. The buds appear bright blue and look like an ornamental thistle. An extremely eye-catching plant at 2-2.5 feet tall, they can be cut and dried for your home after the season ends.