COLUMNIST: JOANNE EVANS
As summer temperatures start to increase globally, with less rainfall to irrigate our gardens, it’s time to think about the ‘right plant for the right place’ in our drier gardens. So, what can you grow in your garden in Scotland which will look good all year round, survive the drier summers and, importantly, also our colder winters?
Here are my top 5 drought tolerant perennial plants which will tolerate a prolonged dry spell in summer but are hardy enough to survive a cold winter.
Elephant’s Ears, or Bergenia, is an evergreen perennial with large, leathery leaves which are often tinged red in autumn. It flowers in spring with flowering spikes in white, purple, or pink. It looks great with spring flowering bulbs and perennials and is happy in sun or shade.
Mediterranean spurge, or Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii, is an evergreen perennial. It has bluish green foliage which looks good all year round. In summer, it produces large, dome-shaped, lime-green flowers that tower above it, and it loves full sun. Wear gloves when pruning as it produces a milky sap which can irritate skin and eyes.
Turkish sage, or Phlomis russeliana, is a tall, hairy perennial with grey green leaves which produces yellow whorled flowers in summer. It also likes full sun and is great for sensory gardens.
Hylotelephium, or Sedum, are drought resistant succulents that produce domes of starry pink, purple, or white flowers in late summer and early autumn which pollinating insects love.
Lamb’s Ears, or Stachys byzantina, is an evergreen perennial with grey downy leaves and stems. It produces purple or pink flowers which are arranged in whorls in an uninterrupted spike throughout the summer. It is great for sensory gardens and enjoys a sunny position.
Plant any silver-leaved, sun-loving perennials in May so they establish their roots well before winter arrives.
Plant smaller specimens (9cm potted plants are ideal) so that they get used to their growing environment gradually as they develop.
Add organic matter to the soil before planting, such as peat-free compost or green waste compost. This will help to increase water availability to the new plants and drainage.
Do not add fertiliser, as this will encourage too much lush green growth, require extra watering, and then be affected by frost in the winter.
Put a 5cm layer of mulch over the newly planted area to retain moisture in the soil. This could be biodegradable and will need refreshing, such as peat-free compost, bark, wood chipping, or you could dress with non-biodegradable aggregate such as gravel, slate, or pebbles.
Joanne Evans has been running her garden design business, Gerbera Designs from Aberdeenshire since 2012 offering services to clients across North East Scotland. A qualified garden designer with an HNC Garden Design with distinction from Scottish Agricultural College in Aberdeen, Joanne is an accredited member of the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL), and a pre-registered member of the Society of Garden Designers working through the adjudication process to become fully registered.
As well as designing creative outdoor spaces, she is also interested in the benefits of gardening for health and wellbeing and is a field worker for Trellis, Scotland’s therapeutic gardening charity.
In her regular column with Scotland Grows, Joanne will share some garden and planting design tips to get the most from your garden throughout the year. Follow Joanne for more inspiration on Instagram and Facebook.