What drought tolerant perennials are best to plant?

The perennial coneflower needs little water, has pink, red, white or orange flowers, and grows up to 70 cm high. Helenium is another perennial that needs little water, can tolerate direct sunlight and drought, and bears colourful blooms. Alpine rock thyme requires little water and is bee-friendly.

What type of drought tolerant shrubs are there?

One type of drought tolerant shrub which needs little water is the rock pear. It places no great demands on its location and produces edible fruit. Beauty bushes also need only low amounts of water, are easy to grow and tolerate dry spells. The Judas tree produces spectacular blooms, is hardy, and also requires very little water.

Which garden plants require little water?

As a rule, garden plants that have small leaves or deep roots need less water. Thick silvery or grey leaves protect the plant from drying out, as do downy leaves, which is why these are types of plants that need little water.

What type of drought tolerant trees use less water?

Silver birch, walnut, hornbeam and Irish oak are types of drought tolerant trees that need little water. Robinia and maple species can also be added to this list.

Are there drought tolerant flowers?

There are some flowers that need little water, including drought tolerant flowers and bushes. For example, roses need little water because of their deep roots. Lavender, bougainvillea and sunflowers can also cope well with drought.

Drought tolerant plants that requires little water

Great for wallets and hot summers: we show you some of the best drought tolerant plants for your garden and how you can save water in the garden.

11.02.2025

Bed with drought tolerant plants that need little water; next to it is a wheelbarrow with soil and garden tools

Overview
Flowers
Shrubs
Perennials
Ground cover
Trees
7 tips for saving water

Overview: Drought tolerant plants

Hoe between perennials regularly to reduce evaporation.
Spread mulch made from grass clippings, humus or shredded plant matter between the plants to prevent the soil from drying out.
Plant hedges and bushes as wind breaks.
Collect rainwater and use it for watering.

On hot days in particular, constant watering and the high water consumption can become problems. But with just a few simple tips, you can reduce your water consumption and water the plants as they need it. When creating new plant beds, it is best to choose drought tolerant plants that require little water from the outset. This saves you time, money and protects the environment without sacrificing your garden’s attractive look.

Why some plants require little water

A plant’s structure defines how much water it needs; so for example, plants with small leaves require little water. This is not because there is less plant material to supply, but because small leaves have a smaller surface area, which reduces evaporation.

Garden plants with particularly thick leaves also need less water. These thick-leaved plants store water in their leaves, which is then available to them over long periods of time. Deep roots also help save water. Deep roots do not rely on the fast-drying topsoil, but can also reach the water supplies that lie deeper in the soil.

When buying plants, look for types with silver or grey leaves or with a fine down on them. The down stops leaves from drying out and light colours reflect sunlight, which means that the plant does not overheat.

Drought tolerant garden plants

But you don’t have to go to your local garden centre right now and check each plant for the size or colour of its leaves, because we have prepared a brief guide to tell you some common garden plants that need little water. There are plants that require little water and can handle intense sunlight, which you can then use to adorn and enhance your garden.

Drought tolerant flowers that don’t need a lot of water

The term flower is rather colloquial and actually refers to herbaceous flowering plants; in other words, flowering bedding plants and pot plants as well as hardy perennials. Flowering perennials and shrubs can be found in the corresponding sections below, so we have put together a small selection of classic flowers here.

Even though they require much care and attention in other respects, roses are among the flowers that need little water. The bush’s deep roots supply the plant with sufficient moisture even in sunny locations.

Wild roses (Moyes’ rose or multiflora rose) are generally very hardy, though some more prized types also cope outstandingly well with drought.

Close-up of two yellow and red flowers on a moss rose

The moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora) blooms with colourful white, yellow, pink or variegated flowers and is very easy to tend.

The flower copes well with dry spells, as it is good at storing water in its thick leaves.

Close-up photo of yellow-dark red sunflower heads

The bright-yellow flowering sunflower (Helianthus annuus) roots almost as deeply as it is tall and as such reaches deeper into the soil.

Its seeds make good bird feed and some varieties have plate-sized flowers.

Other good drought tolerant flowers:

Viper’s bugloss (Echium vulgare)
Cape daisy (Osteospermum)

Drought tolerant shrubs that need little water

In sun, shade, or drought – these bushes are robust and look good thanks to flowers, attractive foliage, or fruit.

Close-up of a bee on the white flowers of a privet shrub which is a drought tolerant shrub

Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) can be planted not only as a hedge, but also as a fast-growing shrub in the garden. This evergreen shrub doesn’t need much water, but can withstand flooding and grows well in both sun and shade.

Privet grows to a height of up to four metres and is an ideal companion for flowering plants.

Close-up of a peacock butterfly on dark purple lilac blooms

Summer lilac (Buddleja davidii) is a butterfly magnet and also provides food for bees, meaning that the flowering shrub is good for the environment in two ways: the plant requires little water and helps to make the garden bee-friendly.

Depending on the variety, summer lilac grows to a height of up to two to three metres and is the perfect choice for stony ground and intense sunlight.

White flowers and green leaves on a drought tolerant garden plant, the mock orange

The mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius) is a good hardy choice and consumes relatively little water. It can handle bright sunlight and semi-shade, is unfussy about soil and cut-resistant.

The mock orange can be planted as a single shrub or flowering hedge, grows up to 3 metres high, and flowers from May to June.

Other types of drought tolerant shrubs:

Ninebark (Physocarpus)
Rock pear (Amelanchier lamarckii)
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum)
Christmas berry (Photinia fraseri)
European hop hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia)
Beauty bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis)
Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas)
Smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria)
Spindle tree (Euonymus europaeus)
Rose acacia (Robinia hispida)
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
Common wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana)

Drought tolerant perennials

Drought and poor soil? No problem for hardy plants which cope better with summer heat than damp, wet winters. If you have a heavy clay soil, you should add coarse sand to make it more suitable for prairie grasses and perennial plants that require little water. This prevents waterlogging at the roots.

Close-up of open and closed pink bergenia flowers, with a bee in front of green leaves

Blooming in shades of pink, bergenia is a hardy perennial that requires little water.

It flowers better in the sun, but also tolerates shade well and is ideal as a wall shrub.

Pink flowers and green leaves on a bloody cranesbill plant

The roots of the bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum), also known as the bloody geranium, extend deep into the ground, which is why this perennial requires little water and copes well with drought.

The bloody cranesbill grows to around 40 cm and is broad and bushy enough to provide perfect ground cover. In sunny locations it bears carmine red flowers from June to August.

Bright purple flowers of the Adria bellflower on stone edging

The Adria bellflower (Campanula portenschlagiana) makes an attractive alternative to popular aubretia in a sunny to semi-shaded location – or alternatively a glorious addition, as it blooms from June to August when the aubretia has already turned green again after flowering.

Hardy perennials that needs little water shed their leaves in winter.

Other drought tolerant perennials that need little water:

Blue spire (Perovskia superba)
Yarrow (Achillea clypeolata ‘Moonshine’ or ‘Parker’)
Large-flowered tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora)
Macedonian widow flower (Knautia macedonica ‘Melton Pastels’)
Evening primrose (Oenothera types and varieties)
Peonies (Paeonia species and varieties)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea)
Sneezeweed (Helenium varieties)
Alpine rock thyme (Calamintha nepeta)
Day lily (Hemerocallis hybrids)
White coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Alba’)
Siberian spurge (Euphorbia seguieriana)

Drought tolerant ground cover plants

On average, ground cover contributes more to water conservation than other plants, as it can leave less bare soil between plants and therefore less water can evaporate. You can find out more about ground cover and how to maintain it in our article specifically on the topic. A few outstanding examples of attractive ground cover can be found below.

Close-up of the red-green variegated leaves of the red barrenwort which is a good drought tolerant shrub

Red barrenwort (Epimedium x rubrum) grows to around 30 cm, thrives best in shade and semi-shade, and is ideal for planting under trees as it swallows up their fallen leaves.

This ground cover is extremely tolerant of summer dryness. Cut back leaves in spring using a hedge trimmer to enjoy the full splendour of its flowers in April and May.

Small purple flowers of the creeping thyme with a bee

Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is particularly suitable for dry, permeable, thin soils.

The ground cover plant blooms from June to August and is an attractive bee magnet and fragrant plant.

Close-up of white flowers of drought tolerant garden cover snow-in-summer

Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) is a ground cover plant that loves sun and needs little water.

These plants can even grow in drystone wall joints, and the white star-shaped flowers attract numerous insects in May and June.

Other drought tolerant ground cover plants that need little water:

Dwarf Schmidt wormwood (Artemisia schmidtiana ‘Nana’)
New Zealand bur (Acaena buchananii)
Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina)

Drought tolerant trees

Trees that need little water often originate from hot and dry Mediterranean regions. These drought tolerant trees are usually not frost-resistant and should therefore not be planted in the garden. Conversely, our native trees are the most hardy.

White flowers on the branch of a robinia which is a drought tolerant garden plant

The floriferous robinia comes in many varieties, all of which need little water and prefer a sunny location. Its fragrant blooms provide ideal bee fodder.

However, seeds and bark from the robinia are poisonous, so be careful with children and pets, especially horses.

Other drought tolerant trees that need little water:

Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)
Field maple (Acer campestre)
European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
Silver birch (Betula pendula)
Larch (Larix)
Common walnut (Juglans regia)
Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus)
Large-leaved lime (Tilia platyphyllos)
Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
English oak (Quercus robur)
Irish oak (Quercus petraea)
Small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata)

USEFUL HELPERS FOR GARDENING

Save water in the garden

Regardless of which plants you choose, you can do lots of things to save water in the garden. With a few simple steps, you can, for example, stop water from evaporating and therefore keep the ground moist for longer.

Our tips can help you grow healthy plants without wasting water.

Regular hoeing or cultivating not only combats weeds, but also cuts the frequency of watering at least in half. The soil is permeated by minute tubes, known as capillaries, which direct water upwards from deeper soil layers, where it evaporates unused.

If you cap these with your hoe, the water feed is interrupted and the ground remains moist. Because topsoil dries out, you won’t see the effect; but if you dig a little deeper into the ground with your finger, you can see and feel dark damp soil there.

Man wearing STIHL protective gloves hoes between perennials in the garden using a long-handled hoe

Humus, or alternatively potting soil, are a great way to save water in the garden, as they store water and improve soil structure. Clay minerals or bentonite are also suitable for sandy soils.

Hard-working microorganisms in the soil convert permanent humus (which is already rotten and therefore difficult to break down) with clay particles into clay-humus complexes.

The resulting clay component stores water and nutrients. With rapid soil analysis tests, you can determine the soil type and its rough composition. This helps to determine which treatment works best for the soil.

A spade is used to work humus in between drought tolerant perennials

Mulching with grass, mulch, bark or shredded material provides a steady supply of nutrients during decomposition. However, its primary function here is to save water, as mulch acts like a parasol on the ground and protects it from drying out.

Remove weeds before mulching and apply a layer just a few centimetres thick so that colonies of snails cannot make a home in it. Thinly mulch vegetable patches and berry bushes between rows with dry grass to prevent evaporation of water. Tall grass that you have cut with a clearing saw, for example, is ideal for this purpose.

Man covers the ground between two small shrubs in the garden with grass cuttings from a metal bucket

Mulching film is also suitable for short-lived vegetable crops, as it provides excellent protection against evaporation. However, it is not recommended in beds or for permanent crops, as it prevents soil cultivation and means you cannot spread humus. Instead use a layer of composted bark, shredded material or cheap soil about 5 cm thick in beds with flowers and perennials.

Mulch is great as protection for the soil: it protects against direct sun, absorbs the impact of heavy downpours, and allows significantly less water to evaporate.

Man kneeling on a flower bed covers the soil between yellow and orange flowers with grass clippings

They don’t always have to be metres high: even small hedges can help save water in the garden by acting as a break against hot winds in summer, and therefore reducing water evaporation from the ground.

Drought tolerant shrubs and trees in a garden

Rainwater is free and better for almost all your plants. So if possible you should set up one or more large water butts to collect as much water as possible when it rains.

If the water butts are too small, the water will not last very long, and you will quickly need to turn to the mains again for water.

Man using a metal watering can to draw rainwater from a wooden water butt next to a house

If your collected rainwater is insufficient or it has not rained for a long time, you can of course use water from the garden hose. But how much water does your garden hose actually supply?

The quantity varies depending on pressure and hose. You may be able to get up to 18 litres of water per minute, or much less. That’s why it’s hard to estimate the right amount of water for your plants. If you water your garden purely by gut instinct, the beds will usually receive less than the 10 litres per square metre they need.

So you should let the hose run into a vessel for one minute, collect the water and measure the quantity. Alternatively you can use a water meter, which is more accurate but also far more expensive.

Water is collected in a glass from a lawn sprinkler in the background

Just like us humans, plants adapt to certain conditions and you can take advantage of this. Reduce water consumption to the bare minimum.

The plants should not suffer any damage, but it’s best to wait until the leaves begin to droop slightly before watering. This encourages the plants to form a dense root network that extends far into the ground, to use the water from deeper soil layers.

Requirement: Plants should be in ideal locations, otherwise pests will run riot.

A metal watering can is used to water small drought tolerant garden plants in front of a hedge

With our tips and lists of drought tolerant trees, perennials, shrubs, flowers, and other garden plants, it couldn't be easier to save water in the garden. Nature is also happy: watering with rainwater and having a low water consumption are sustainable and help protect the environment.