The weather of the last few weeks has forced many gardeners to rethink what types of plants will flourish in very hot temperatures – and the Royal Horticultural Society has warned that traditional floral choices, such as roses and poppies, may prove less popular as they aren’t as heat resistant.

Here, Compass Garden and Landscape Design, who provide a comprehensive garden design service for all our clients in the Cotswolds and the South-West of England, identify some plant species which should be able to cope with high temperatures.

Buddleia – this flower is one of the UK’s most popular summer-flowering shrubs, and they don’t need much watering (apart from when they are initially planted). Their distinctive tubular-shaped flowers will attract a lot of butterflies (as can be seen in the above picture) and bees – it’s also known as the Butterfly Bush. Originally from Asia, there are more than 100 different varieties to choose from; ideally, they should be planted in spring, or autumn (but before the first frosts).

Salvias – these are particularly popular at the moment and are the most-viewed plant profile on the RHS website. There are more than 1,000 species, including annuals, perennials and shrubs, and they are part of the sage family. Many of them can withstand heat, humidity and drought, and offer brilliantly coloured flowers with a gorgeous fragrance. At most, they will only need watering once or twice a week, even in extreme heat, but they will need pruning back by about half once they have finished flowering.

Dahlias – these tender perennials are native to southern Mexico and central America, so it should come as little surprise that they can tolerate extremely warm weather. Ideally, dahlias should be planted in locations where they get half a day of sun (rather than full sun); this is because if it’s too hot, then the plants may stop flowering. It’s also worth protecting their roots with two or three inches of mulch.

Herbs – plants such as rosemary, thyme and oregano don’t need much water to survive and flourish. Not only are they attractive additions to your garden, but they can also spice up many vegetable and meat dishes. They could form part of a Mediterranean garden theme; the silver or grey-green leaves which many of these plants possess are good at reflecting the sun’s rays, which means they can cope with hot weather; some also have hairs, which trap any rain that does fall.

Palm trees – given their tropical origins, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that palm trees won’t be affected by long spells of hot, dry weather. However, there are some species which can also cope with colder temperatures and even a dusting of snow, such as the windmill palm, making them suitable for UK gardens. If you are planning a Mediterranean garden, palm trees would make an excellent centrepiece.

Compass Garden and Landscape Design – Garden Design in the Cotswolds

Whatever types of plants you want, Compass Garden and Landscape Design can help. Thanks to our planting consultancy service, which is available for customers in Bath, Bristol, Bradford on Avon and across the South-West of England, we can work out which plants will work best in your space, and what species work well together. Thanks to our contacts in the trade, we can usually source these at a much more competitive price than if you bought them yourself at your local garden centre.

And don’t forget, we can not only help with plant purchases, but can redesign your whole garden if you prefer. For more information, contact us on 07920 051549 or follow this link and leave an online message.