Perennials that flower but don't need lots of water

[CottagePieLaLaLa]

I am terrible at watering plants. I have very little time and when I get back from work and I'm shattered the last thing I want to do is watering the potted plants. I also don't want to buy new plants every year. But I like flowers.

Are there any flowering plants that don't need lots of water? I am open to planting them in the flower beds if that helps retaining water.

What plants would you recommend please? The garden has both full sun and shaded areas. Thank you.

Easy and long flowering season would be salvia, knautia, erysimum (Bowles's Mauve)

They are all pretty and good fillers. just chop them back at the end of the summer and you'll see them again next spring

Also lavender

Salvia Hot Lips
Sedums of any kind

whatever you plant, give it is the biggest pot possible and water well once a week rather than a little every day.

I’ve spent the last two summers moving everything from pots in to borders precisely so they don’t need much watering as we are always in the hose pipe ban area. I’ve got water butts but the mount of watering pots need means these drain very quickly. If you plant out in to the borders, the plants, whatever ones you choose, will need help with watering in the first year but from the second year you shouldn’t be needing to do anywhere near as much. Amongst the successes this year are Crocosmia, Kniphofia, Salvias, cistus, roses, buddleia, delphiniums, scabiosa, coreopsis, geraniums and hollyhocks. All in the borders and all doing well with only an occasional watering even though we’re in probably the dryest part of the country.

Thank you so much. I will spend some time researching these at the weekend.

Borders need much less watering than pots and if you have ground cover then all the better. I never water my borders.
You need to look at what soil you have - we have heavy clay and a lot of things don't like it. Also need to consider if it's full sun or shady.

Lavender

Sedum. Thrift. Pinks. Lamb’s ears. Rosemary.

Heleniums, phlox. Also not perennials but foxglove, borage, marigold which self-seed profusely and you just pull out the ones you don't want. None need regular watering.

We're also in the HOSEPIPE BAN,SE UK corner. I did have over 100 pots, collected over many years, some with veg, fruit. Most go in beds now, watering takes 90 minutes. We also have a pond with fish,needs topping up. So it's now... agapanthus, dahlias (they stay in) heleniums, rudbeckia.coreopsis, grasses, ornamental onions (allium) any Prairie plants for the south facing or sunny parts. Roses, once established, pretty robust.

We do have 6 water butts!

We have a sunny dry garden and this year nepeta, geranium rozanne, lavender and perovskia are currently blooming their heads off.

I find that phlox gets a sort of white mould if it's not kept moist through the growing season.

I've grown Gazanias this year they make great ground cover and the flowers are lovely ☺️

I'd ditch the pots! Too hard to keep watered. For borders Verbena bonerasis is a wonderful drought tolerant sun loving plant that flowers for months and self seeds everwhere if it likes it. Pair with grasses for a prairie feel.
Rudbeckia are not great in dry conditions as they have shallow roots and wilt easily. Eryngiums (ornamental thistles), salvias are also good. Hardy geraniums and lambs ear for ground cover. Then use some annuals that self seed as well like love in a mist (nigella) and marigolds. Zinnias are also lovely annuals for a bit of bright colour.

Rock rose
Convulvulus cneorum
Erigeron (Mexican daisy)
Lavender as pp said

Beds not pots definitely

You can also get plastic tanks that you bury in the soil with a pipe sticking out of the top. Fill the tank and it releases water slowly over a week or so. Brilliant for pots especially

I think yours are Gaiilardias, not Gazanias, but an easy mistake to make with similar names.

Vinca. (Periwinkle)
The upright or the trailing kind.

What are these tanks called? Can you get them online, please?

Campanulas but they can be invasive. One type is ground cover, with blue or white flowers. Only plant it if you really like it.

Yes I got mine online, probably from amazon but can’t remember . If you look up plant reservoir or watering tank for plants you’ll find lots.

Lavatera (mallow) can be a vigorous thug of a plant but it is covered in big pink flowers for ages.

Cut it right back to about 20cm tall in spring and by July and August you’ll have a flower-laden shrub taller then you are.

Hydrangeas look pretty, easy to grow, come back every year and can cope with hot temperatures.
www.amazon.co.uk/Mixed-Hydrangea-MACROPHYLLA-DECIDUOUS-Shrub/dp/B08DV1WFS7/ref=asc_df_B08DV1WFS7/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=448994416226&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11802565520632020158&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007147&hvtargid=pla-963207823194&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=108122983887&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=448994416226&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11802565520632020158&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007147&hvtargid=pla-963207823194

@caringcarer Hydrangea need lots of water! They are not drought resistant.

I'd recommend Mediterranean plants/herbs like lavender as PP said, rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, sage, etc. most are evergreen, have lovely flowers & great for insects & you can use in cooking.

Get yourself an automatic watering system, life changing!

Pelargoniums flower better on little water.

I have them in my French house garden and it is hot through the summer but I never ever water them. They are fine.