Drought tolerant herbaceous plants for dry sandy soil & sunny exposed locations

There are a number of tough sun loving and draught tolerant herbaceous and flowering plants that will tolerate hot dry conditions and free draining sandy soils. Plants can conserve moisture with tough silver or grey foliage as well as having water retaining thick fleshy leaves. Many of these plants are classified as succulent plants. Such adaptations allow the plant to tolerate hot drought spells as well as prolonged dry soil conditions, especially in tough exposed or coastal locations in full sun. Many of these plants also manage to produce an impressive display of flowers during the summer and autumn months.

The mixing of tough grasses amongst drifts of drought tolerant herbaceous plants and succulents can provide a very contemporary look to a garden as well as future proof our gardens from the onset of global warming, which may well bring ever hotter and dryer summer conditions. Such plants are also useful for areas that might be considered as problem areas such as a hot dry bank with poor free draining soil or for planting in containers in exposed full sun – such as roof garden planting.

Click Image for Full Profile	Latin & Common Name	Earmark	Type & Form	Flowers & Foliage
	Convolvulus cneorum Convolvulus		Shrub, Ground cover, Container-friendly, Spreading clump	White flowers (Summer)
	Cotoneaster microphylla Cotoneaster		Shrub, Ground cover, Spreading	White flowers (Spring)
	Euphorbia characias wulfenii Spurge		Herbaceous Flowers, Rounded - Clump	Green flowers (Summer early)
	Sedum 'Ruby Glow' Ice Plant		Herbaceous Flowers, Ground cover, Container-friendly, Rounded - Clump	Red flowers (Summer late)
	Cynara scolymus Globe artichoke		Herbaceous Flowers, Herbs, Culinary, Spikey	Dark blue flowers (Summer)
	Verbascum bombyciferum		Herbaceous Flowers, Herbs, Culinary, Container-friendly, Spikey	Yellow flowers (Summer late)
	Stachys byzantina 'Big Ears' Lamb's Ears		Herbaceous Flowers, Ground cover, Container-friendly, Spreading	Yellow flowers (Summer)
	Eryngium tripartitum Eryngium		Herbaceous Flowers, Container-friendly, Upright - Clump	Dark blue flowers (Summer)
	Allium firmament Ornamental Onion, Allium		Herbaceous Flowers, Container-friendly, Annual/Bulb, Spikey	Purple flowers (Summer)
	Papaver orientale 'Patty's Plum' Oriental Poppy		Herbaceous Flowers, Upright - Clump	Purple flowers (Summer early)