A group of 76 hardy plants selected by prominent global specialists stand out as the optimal choices for thriving in a changing climate.
In the face of changing climate conditions, garden designers are turning to a diverse array of plants to create gardens that are both beautiful and resilient. These plants, chosen for their ability to thrive under drought, poorer soils, and fluctuating weather, are set to play a crucial role in future gardens.
**Groundcovers and Low-Growing Plants:**
One such group of plants are groundcovers, which offer a range of benefits, from erosion control to weed suppression. Achillea coarctata, a silver-grey leaved groundcover from Turkey and the Balkans, is a standout choice, with its bright yellow flowers and suitability for dry, poor soil and full sun. Another favourite is Centaurea bella, an evergreen groundcover that tolerates various soils and partial shade, and boasts the added advantage of suppressing weeds through allelopathy.
**Drought-Tolerant Evergreen Sub-Shrubs:**
Westringia, a plant known for its drought tolerance and evergreen nature, is another popular choice for low water landscapes. Camellias, evergreen shrubs that thrive in sheltered, partially shaded locations, are also favoured, particularly for their winter flowering.
**Trees:**
Drought-tolerant trees play a vital role in resilient gardens. The Desert Museum Palo Verde and Crape Myrtle, known for their resilience and colorful flowers, are commonly used in sustainable landscaping. Mediterranean species, such as those chosen by Olivier Filippi, are also popular, although specific examples beyond these two trees were not detailed in the available sources.
**Flowers and Flowering Annuals:**
Winter annuals like cinerarias, sweet peas, Iceland poppies, polyanthus, primulas, pansies, and violas bring seasonal colour without high water demands. Yarrow and lantana are also highlighted for their drought tolerance and ornamental flower display.
These plants, selected for their ability to thrive under drought, poorer soils, and fluctuating weather, provide beauty and functional resilience for future gardens facing climate change challenges. Garden designers emphasize well-planned combinations to achieve lush, colorful, and textured appearances while conserving water and enduring extreme weather.
Some additional resilient plants worth mentioning include Geranium Patricia, with its long flowering time and vine-like growth; Erigeron annuus, a pop-up plant with delicate, small, white daisy flowers; Thymus 'Jekka', a vigorous, evergreen thyme ideal for dry places and trailing over walls; Astilbe chinensis var. taquetii 'Purpurlanze', with cherry-red leaves, ferny foliage, purple-pink flowers, and seedheads that stand all winter long; Salvia multicaulis, with small, violet flowers that grow out of large crimson calyces; Dianthus carthusianorum, which produces heads of small, vibrant, pink flowers on long stems; and Centaurea bella, one of the best evergreen groundcovers for dry gardens and attractive to butterflies.
By choosing these resilient plants, gardeners can create beautiful, climate-adaptive gardens that will stand the test of time.
Garden designers are increasingly leaning towards landscape architecture that combines aesthetic appeal with resilience, using a variety of plants. Groundcovers, like Achillea coarctata and Centaurea bella, offer benefits such as erosion control and weed suppression, making them suitable for dry, poor soil, and full sun conditions.
Westringia, a drought-tolerant evergreen sub-shrub, is a popular choice for low-water landscapes, while trees like the Desert Museum Palo Verde and Crape Myrtle play a vital role in resilient gardens, providing drought resistance and colorful flowers.
Winter annuals, such as cinerarias, sweet peas, and violas, bring seasonal color without high water demands, and plants like yarrow and lantana are highlighted for their drought tolerance and ornamental flower display.
The selection of these plants, according to garden designers, contributes to the creation of climate-adaptive gardens that are both beautiful and resilient, fostering health-and-wellness, environmental-science, and a connection with nature.
In addition to the previously mentioned plants, gardeners can also consider Salvia multicaulis, Dianthus carthusianorum, Geranium Patricia, Erigeron annuus, Thymus 'Jekka', Astilbe chinensis var. taquetii 'Purpurlanze', and Centaurea bella, which are resilient and attractive to butterflies, contributing to a diverse and vibrant garden design.
