FOR A DRY AREA

Sunny, dry situations present a different set of colour considerations from those of shade; challenging at first sight but, again, an opportunity to go to town with an entirely different palette.

All those silvers, greys, lavenders and soft purples and an occasional splash of brilliant yellow, so evocative of a Mediterranean landscape, can be juxtaposed to create naturalistic pictures.

Here’s an opportunity to be subtle, to create space, distance, perhaps combining planting with natural materials, such as driftwood if you live in a coastal area, or local gravel as in Beth Chatto’s inspiring garden. Texture, structure, shape and form are important, but it is the colour that melds the planting together.

These are plants that have to cope with extremely dry conditions and they all have their own survival strategies. Many of them have small, slender leaves; grey and glaucous foliage often predominates. Cistus and perhaps a rugosa rose or two may add splashes of green and vividly coloured flowers to the mix and bulbs, especially species tulips, can add brief but exciting performances. The grasses here are soft and subtle – Pennisetum orientale or Stipa tenuissima, their inflorescences biscuit or pink.

Although it may seem difficult at first, having boundaries imposed by the situation itself is often a great help in limiting our plant choice and focussing our colour design ideas. It encourages us to be creative in an achievable way.

RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT PLACE Rosa rugosa ‘Roseraie de l’Haÿ’

The forebear of this rose frequents sandy beaches in Japan and some of the cultivated forms have taken residence on sand dunes in Wales and Devon. It carries big, scented magenta flowers followed by orange hips, and in autumn the foliage turns golden yellow.

F Jun-Nov HxS 2m x 2.2m

Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’

All lavenders suit dry conditions but this is one of the best, often used as a low hedge, but equally good in naturalistic planting where its foliage and purple flowers combine beautifully with other sun-worshippers.

F Jul-Sep HxS 60cm x 75cm

Phlomis fruticosa

An architectural sub-shrub with evergreen or felted leaves and mustard-yellow hooded flowers in whorls up the stems. Easy to grow, but best in full sun.

F Jun-Aug HxS 1m x 1.5m

Texture, structure, shape and form are important, but it’s the colour that melds the planting together