Drought Resistant Plants for your Patio

Have you ever been away on holiday, only to discover that the weather in the UK while you were away was better than your holiday destination? Back at work, everybody has a tan to show off. If you didn’t organise somebody to water your garden in your absence, your plants may have had a hard time of it as well. It is always worth having a few drought resistant plants in pots on your patio so, if that summer heatwave hits while you’re away, at least some of your plants will thrive. Here are a few that have the twin qualities of being attractive and easy to grow.

Shrubs and Trees

• Buddleia. Beloved of butterflies and bees, this hardy shrub doesn’t need a lot of water and can grow pretty big if left unmanaged. Dwarf and ornamental types grow beautifully in containers. 
  
• Fig. Getting the fruit to ripen fully is only really possible under glass this far north. However, the fig tree is an attractive plant to grow. 
  
• Eucalyptus. This Australian import is evergreen – giving you a drought-resistant plant in summer that provides a touch of colour in winter

Flowers

• Bearded Iris. Plant these beauties in the autumn for gorgeous summer blooms in a wide variety of colours. They love dry soil. Give them a sunny corner of your patio.
  
• Poppies. Self-seeding poppies have spread all over Europe and Asia. If the flowers weren’t so beautiful, they’d probably be considered a weed.
  
• Jasmine. Pick a warm sunny spot for this sweet-smelling climber and train it along a trellis.

All of these plants will grow happily in containers and pots on your patio. For those of us with busy lives, drought-resistant plants that don’t need a careful watering regime in order to survive make a sound investment for a pretty but hassle-free garden. 

If you choose a patio installation from Knights Paving and Landscaping, you can design your patio exactly how you would like it. We can surround it with features such as raised beds and trellises so that will help your green fingers work their magic.

To talk to Knights about a paving or landscaping project, call us on 01603 360548 or email any questions you might have to enquiries@knightslandscaping.co.uk.

Share pictures of your patio plants with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Get more information on Drought-resistant plants on the RHS website.