Dry garden border planting plan
For hot, dry spots and free-draining soil. Lavender, sea holly, grasses and silver leaves that cope with dry summers once they've settled in.
What you'll get in this style
Plants that cope with dry summers once settled
Silver leaves, grasses and long-flowering perennials
Great with gravel
Plants that suit a dry garden border
For hot, free-draining spots, your plan might include lavender, rosemary, Jerusalem sage and rock rose for evergreen structure; sea holly, yarrow, lamb's ears, red valerian and Mexican fleabane for flowers; ice plant and Russian sage for late summer colour; and grasses such as blue fescue, Mexican feather grass and golden oats. Many of these have silver or grey leaves, which help them cope with sun and dry soil.
Tips for a dry garden border
- Get the drainage right. Most dry-garden plants dislike sitting in wet soil in winter more than they dislike drought in summer.
- Water well in the first summer only. Once their roots are established, most of these plants need little or no extra water.
- Try a gravel mulch. A layer of gravel keeps weeds down, holds moisture in and suits plants that like good drainage.
- Cut back in spring, not autumn. Leaving stems over winter protects the crowns and looks good with frost on them.
A real example
SAMPLE
A 4 metre sunny gravel border on sand soil, facing south.
- 1Red-edged hebe
- 2Sea holly
- 3African lily
- 4Gaura
- 5Red hot poker
- 6Tall verbena
- 7Golden oats
- 8Upright rosemary
- 9Grape hyacinth
- 10Early crocus
- 11Ornamental onion
| Plant | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Red-edged hebe | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 2. Sea holly | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 3. African lily | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 4. Gaura | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 5. Red hot poker | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 6. Tall verbena | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 7. Golden oats | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 8. Upright rosemary | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 9. Grape hyacinth | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 10. Early crocus | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 11. Ornamental onion | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
Water new plants weekly in dry spells in their first summer. After that, most plants in a dry border need little or no watering.
Many dry-garden plants dislike wet clay in winter. Tell us your soil and we'll only choose plants that suit it.
Plants grown through a layer of gravel, which keeps the soil cool, holds back weeds and suits plants that like good drainage.
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