Great grasses for hot, dry conditions

2018 has seen the driest summers so far on record with just 47mm of rain so far this summer (1st June - 16th July) and while most garden plants are suffering, there are many varieties of Ornamental grasses that really come into their own in these types of conditions. Even in the hottest and driest of positions, they offer colour and form which are a pleasure to see when other plants and lawns are looking dry and brown.

So, at the moment, it’s not just the coastal garden that can benefit from the use of these grasses. Here are our favourites to add some colour back into your thirsty summer garden.

Helictotrichon sempervirens. This variety has dense tuft of spiky erect silver blue leaves with seed heads held high above the foliage. It is a good choice for hot, dry areas and makes the perfect addition to dry sun-drenched gardens.

Pennisetum villosum. Pennisetum varieties are tried and tested when it comes to their ability to cope with dry conditions. By mid summer the foliage of the Pennisetum villosum is a mass of white, fluffy caterpillar-like seed heads that last well into the winter. A good one for introducing waves of colour into a parched border.

Another Pennistetum which also does well in the hot weather is the Pennisetum thunbergii 'Red Buttons'. It’s a stunning grass with a mass of bright red button flower heads on narrow stems which turn a toffee colour late summer. It is a good ornamental grass for coastal gardens and does well in hot, dry conditions. They look great in a soil bed or even in a gravel garden or border.

Hordeum jubatum. The Hordeum jubatum is a very beautiful grass with salmon pink barley-like seed heads. It is a great ornamental grass for coastal gardens and can tolerate hot, dry conditions well.

We have many more varieties of Ornamental grasses which will keep your garden looking colourful and lush through our record breaking summer! Visit our online shop now to view all our varieties for hot, dry conditions or coastal gardens.