Best drought-loving plants for your garden

The UK's climate is changing, and warmer temperatures mean plants that were once difficult to grow in the UK can now thrive in our gardens. 

At Kew Gardens, many plants that could only be grown in our glasshouses can now grow happily outdoors due to a warmer climate and reduced prolonged periods of below-freezing temperatures.

These plants make great additions to gardens as they don't require lots of watering and flourish in full sun.

Plants from the Mediterranean climate zones are also extremely tough as they're able to withstand long dry summers and sometimes low winter temperatures. 

Whether you've got a large garden or just a balcony, we've rounded up our top drought tolerant plants that will work well in different spaces. 

Common fig (Ficus carica)

These drought-tolerant trees are speedy growers and are best suited to larger gardens, as they grow quickly into large trees. 

The cultivar 'Brown Turkey' is a good choice if you're growing specifically for the fruit. 

Native to the Middle East, they are well adapted to warm, dry weather. Their leaves can wilt a little in hot sun but they soon recover.

Figs have a distinctive, sweet taste with a chewy texture. They're often used to flavour deserts and dried figs are a popular snack. 

Figs are rich in minerals including magnesium and potassium, and are sometimes used as a natural laxative due to their high fibre content. 

The tree has biblical associations, as Adam and Eve use the leaves to clothes themselves after eating from the Tree of Knowledge. 

Agapanthus 

Agapanthus includes a wide range of species and colours, but it's the deciduous ones that are hardier and more drought-friendly. 

Although they're commonly known as African bell lilies and Lily of the Nile, Agapanthus aren't actually lilies. They're in the same family as daffodils and are native to southern Africa. 

Heads of trumpet-shaped flowers make these beauties a great addition to the borders in your garden, and they can also be planted in pots. 

There are hundreds of varieties and cultivars. Some good ones to try are: 

• Deep blue Agapanthus africanas (evergreen).
• Bright white Agapanthus 'Artic Star' (deciduous). 
• Agapanthus 'Northern Star' (deciduous) which have violet flowers with striped petals. 

Agave 

This silver-blue succulent is a statement plant that looks great growing on a bed of gravel. They like to grow in well drained soil and are hardy in low temperatures. 

Agave americana grows leaves up to 2m long. It's commonly known as a century plant because it takes a long time for the plant to flower. Although not a century, it can take a lengthy 30 years to produce flowers. 

A specific cultivar of Agave tequiliana called 'Weber Azul' is used to make tequila. The cores are shredded and the sugar is extracted, distilled, and fermented to make the well-known alcoholic spirit.

Agave nectar can also be eaten, and is used as an alternative to sugar in food and drinks.

But beware, the leaves of Agave have sharp prickly spines so this is not an ideal plant if you have pets or children.

To find out more about drought-loving plants and how to grow them, pick up a copy of Gardening with Drought-Friendly Plants by Kew horticulturalist Tony Hall.