Going on a Summer Holiday

Maintaining a beautiful garden can be challenging especially when planning a holiday. Ensuring your plants thrive while you are away means choosing the right plants not relying on friends and neighbours to “Do the Watering”. Better to choose plants that will withstand dry conditions and require less water once established.

Beth Chatto in her Garden in Colchester showcases a range of drought resistant plants that contribute to sustainable gardening practices.

Caryopteris, Stachys and Santolina are all plants that appear to have silver grey foliage. They actually have green leaves covered in fine white hairs that makes them look silvery grey. This dramatically reduces water loss from the leaves and so allows the plants to thrive in dry conditions. Many herbs like Rosemary and Thyme also enjoy these dry Mediterranean conditions. Lavender when planted 30cms apart grows into the most spectacular low hedge boundary for the edge of a pathway. The wonderfully fragrant purple flowers are a great source of nectar for the bees.

Taller shrubs that will survive long periods of low rainfall are Buddleias with silvery green leaves and fragrant panicle flowers all summer in colours ranging from white through pink and magenta to lilac and deepest purple. The shorter new hybrid varieties like Buzz and Butterfly Candy are excellent for the smaller garden only growing to 1m in height.

Exiting feature plants are Alliums, the ornamental onion, with its large globe carmine purple flower, Cynara Cardunculus, the Cardoon a member of the artichoke family, with giant purple thistle flowers and Eryngiums, the Sea Holly, with spiny sculptural blue flowers and feathery grey green leaves. Onopordum Acanthium, the Cotton Thistle, is a splendid feature which in the first year grows a rosette of spiney white downy leaves and in year two a huge purple thistle. Verbascum Bombyciferum is another drama queen. Tall and evergreen with silver felted large leaves that produce a tall spike of yellow flowers in its second year. The plant then dies but produces many seeds that quickly germinate and allow you to plant many more.

Ornamental grasses, like Festuca glauca Elijah Blue, a low growing plant with silvery blue narrow leaves forms neat mounds at the front of a border or is good in patio tubs while Stipa Gigantea, the Golden Oat, grows to 2m and is an impressive stately grass with arching green leaves and large panicles of golden oat like airy flowers. Both are very resistant to dry conditions.

Sedums, the stonecrops, have thick fleshy succulent leaves that store water and so are highly resilient to drought and thrive in poor soils. The clusters of star shaped flowers in shades of pink, red or carmine attract bees and butterflies. A great late source of nectar for these pollinators. Sedum Spectabilis, the Ice Plant, is easy to grow requiring little maintenance. It is attractive from spring with grey green, sometimes purple, leaves depending on variety, to the long flowering time in Summer through to Autumn. When the flowers fade let them over winter on the plant. They look especially attractive when covered in early morning frost. Additionally, succulents like Sempervivum and Echeveria are excellent options that require minimal attention.

Achillea is an easy to grow plant for drier borders They have flat heads of tiny flowers from white, yellow, pink, orange to red depending on variety which can be dried for winter flower arranging. The foliage is ferny and attractive when planted with ornamental grasses. Salvia Caradonna Pink again is undemanding with silvery green leaves and bright pink upright flower spikes all summer.

No garden should be without Agapanthus. The flowers are large drumsticks in white and many shades of blue on a single stem. Grow in pots or as groups of feature plants for a stunning effect. Alstroemerias and Cannas are two exotic looking plants with flowers in the hot vibrant Mediterranean colours. Cannas need winter weather protection.

Aside from selecting drought tolerant plants using mulch made from bark, garden compost, grit, stone chipping or flakes of slate, around plants helps to retain moisture in the soil and suppresses weed growth. This technique gives visual appeal while also providing necessary water conservation. Water crystals can also be useful for plants grown in tubs. They release moisture as the soil dries directly to the plant’s roots.

Another efficient product is a drip irrigation system. Such a system delivers water directly to the root of the plants, minimizing waste and evaporation. Recent advancements in technology have made drip irrigation systems more user friendly and affordable. Some systems can even be automated with timers or moisture sensors. This integration of technology results not only in water efficient gardening but also in reduced maintenance tasks, making it easier for holiday bound gardeners.