If you are looking for a garden that can maintain a great appearance, with ease, then hardy plants could be for you. Hardy plants are those that can withstand low temperatures and this makes them great for gardens in the UK. With the ever unpredictable British weather, there aren’t even any guarantees when it comes to summer temperatures but hardy plants will stand up to anything that the elements throw at them.
The hardiness of plants is measured from H1 to H7. A plant that comes in at H1 needs temperatures of 15c or above to thrive. Those that are H7 are best suited to temperatures that are -20c or below. Generally, the winters in the UK will rarely drop below -11c. This means that plants that come in at H5 are the ones that will survive well in the UK. Let’s have a look at some of the options that this gives you.
Lily-of-the-valley
With its scientific name of Convallaria Majalis, this is a plant that is native to Britain. As well as a look of beauty, Lily-of-the-valley is also known for its elegant perfume. If you are looking for a plant that will withstand what the weather has to throw at it, as well as having the ability to spread, then this is the one that provides the answer.
If you can find a shady spot for this plant then you will find that it spreads strongly. With the foliage being distinctly dark, it provides great ground cover but also displays white flowers that are followed by red berries.
Golden discs
The Achillea Coronation Gold is a plant that will attract plenty of bees and other pollinating insects into your garden. It grows with vertical stems that produce a flat A horizontal flowerhead. The end result is the perfect combination of both foliage colour and flower.
These are plants that are best suited to being positioned somewhere that has a decent amount of sun. They also need soil that is well-drained if you want to see them really flourish. The leaves on this plant are a tinge of grey that provides a great contrast to the tiny bright yellow flowers.
Ruby Giant
The Echinacea purpurea brings sheer drama to any garden and you will see it make its biggest impact later on into the summer. If you place Ruby Giants in your garden then you will find that they are a great attractor of pollinating insects, including bees.
When the flowers start to appear on this plant, you will find that they grow into some of the largest. They can measure up to 12cm and open up in red/pink before developing into a mature silvery pink.
Goldsturm
If you are seeking a plant that will catch the eye of all of your visitors then the Rudbeckia Goldsturm is likely to be the plant for you. It is one of the brightest summer perennials that you will find and comes with deep yellow petals with a chocolate brown cone.
The Goldsturm provides flowers from July all the way through to October. This makes it the perfect plant to bring colour to your garden through the summer and into autumn.