Don't let your garden ruin your vacation
You deserve some time off—even from watering your garden. If you are planning a trip this summer, use clever choices to pick drought-tolerant plants that can handle a sporadic watering schedule or a missed week. Your garden and patio don't have to be a full-time job with no time off! We suggest looking into grasses, flax and sedge, along with other beautiful (and easy going) alternatives:
Mexican Feather Grass
Stipatenuissima
With wispy tuffs and gently moving stalks, this grass will add bright movement even in the gentlest breeze. It needs to dry out between (very limited) waterings. Use well-draining soil to ensure it dries out quickly. Two-toned colours year-round and lively movement make this a favourite!
Chinese Silver Grass
Miscanthus
An extremely tall grass, growing up to ten feet, Chinese silver grass loves full-sun and can handle a missed watering, but also likes the soil to be kept moist if occasion permits. It's height makes it a great candidate for privacy screens on the patio or balcony!
New Zealand Flax
Phormium
Known for it's brilliant colours and sturdy nature, New Zealand flax comes in lime, pink, red and more. This plant loves full sun and is drought-tolerant, although it likes moist soil if possible. If you're lucky, your mature plant may throw up a bright bloom in the summer for the pollinators to enjoy!
Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostis
Feather reed grass has green stems and a wheat-coloured or pink top plume. It grows from five to six feet tall, making it another great privacy screen for the patio. It is super low maintenance and drought-tolerant once the plant has matured. Give it full sun (or part shade) and enjoy the beautifully coloured plumes as they sway in the wind.
Rose Glow Barberry
Berberis thunbergii
A stunning fiery red, this drought-tolerant shrub really lights up the patio or garden. Red stems and leaves (with yellow flowers in summer), it is an eye-catching addition that is also easy to care for and adaptable. Give it full sun for the best colour!
Dwarf Arctic Willow
Salix purpurea nana
With it's lovely blue-green colouring, this delicate looking shrub is remarkably sturdy. The dwarf arctic willow can add greenery and privacy, growing up to five feet tall. Drought-tolerant, it can make do with rain in most seasons, only needing to be watered during very dry periods in the summer months.
These grasses, shrubs, and flax are fantastic drought-tolerant additions for the patio or garden this summer. Take a look at our Top Ten Drought-Tolerant Perennials right over here for a few more ideas. We also put together a mixed list of Drought-Tolerant Garden Additions in this blog post. Come in and take a look around the garden centre for beautiful, low-maintenance plants.