6 of the best drought-tolerant plants for pots that thrive in a heatwave

It's hot out there, and although it's tricky for us to adapt to the warmer weather, some of the best drought-tolerant plants for pots have already done just that.

If you're looking for an easy-care garden, drought-tolerant plants are the way forward. Not only can they tolerate dry conditions, they also perform well in poor soils – and they're a brilliant way to spruce up pots on a patio.

To give you a little summer planting inspiration with low-maintenance in mind,

1. Salvias

Salvia might be one of the best low-maintenance border plants for your garden, but it's one of the best drought-tolerant plants for pots, too.

'Ideal for growing in pots, especially if you choose a compact variety such as Salvia nemorosa ‘Sensation Deep Blue’, salvia thrives in full sun and well-drained soil,' says gardening and greenhouse expert Lucie Bradley from Easy Garden Irrigation.

'With most varieties of salvia being considered drought-tolerant, you only need to water them regularly until their roots are established. Then, you will find that they thrive in dry conditions and can often last 7 to 10 days without water when there is no rain.'

Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna', available from £6.99 at Crocus, is perfect for smaller gardens.

2. Agapanthus

On a recent trip to an office in London, the garden was full of pots of agapanthus – and even in this heat, they were thriving.

It goes without saying, then, that agapanthus is one of the best drought-tolerant plants for pots. They're a Mediterranean garden plant favourite, too.

'Agapanthus thrives in sunny spots and many varieties are fairly drought-tolerant, especially once they have become established,' says Hayden Salt, garden centre manager at Jacksons Nurseries.

In fact, Lucie says agapanthus thrives better in pots than in the ground.

'Perfectly suited for growing in pots, agapanthus actually produces more flowers when their roots are restricted,' she explains. 'You could grow one agapanthus in a 30 cm pot, but my preferred choice is to use a larger pot and plant a group of three, planting the rhizomes about 5cm deep and 20cm apart.'

Agapanthus 'Ever Sapphire', now £7.99 at Gardening Express, is a gorgeous semi-dwarf variety.

3. Cistus

If you want vibrant, papery blooms, learn how to grow rock roses, or Cistus. Just remember to choose compact varieties which are better suited to pot growing.

'Once established, cistus are extremely drought-tolerant, making them perfect for Mediterranean-style gardens and when you need to conserve water,' says Lucie. 'They thrive when positioned in full sun, which is easily achieved by placing their pot in the sunniest spot in your garden.'

Cistus × pulverulentus 'Sunset' from Crocus produces vibrant pink blooms and is a brilliant choice for large pots.

4. Hardy geraniums

If you're keen to learn how to grow geraniums but would prefer a drought-tolerant variety, hardy geraniums are as low-maintenance as they get.

‘Geraniums can grow well in both full sun and partial shade and are fairly tolerant to drought conditions,' says Hayden Salt, garden centre manager at Jacksons Nurseries.

'Their popularity is down to them being so low maintenance, as they are tough and need very little care to thrive.'

Geranium 'Rozanne', available at Crocus from £12.99, is one of the most popular hardy geranium varieties.

5. Sedums

If you've learned how to grow sedums before, you'll know they're tough flowering succulents that thrive in dry soils. That's what coined them the nickname 'stonecrop'.

'Sedums also work well in pots,' says Hayden. 'They look great from spring with their attractive fleshy foliage, and they come into their own in the late summer.'

Sedum 'Autumn Joy', which you can buy from Crocus, is one of the most popular sedum varieties. It produces pink flowerheads with a flurry of star-shaped blooms.

6. Lantana

Last but by no means least, lantana is another brilliant drought-tolerant plant for pots. I saw it everywhere on a recent trip to Italy, and I fell in love with the bright orange flowers. It's similar to verbena, but because it's a fast-spreader, it's perfect for container growing.

‘Native to the Caribbean and Central and South America, you can understand why lantana loves the sun and can happily cope with drought conditions,’ says Lucie.

‘Select one of the more compact varieties, such as Lantana camara ‘Lucky Sunrise Rose’, and you can enjoy prolific blooms in shades of dark rose pink and yellow all through summer and into autumn.'

You can buy Lantana 'Orange' plants at Thompson & Morgan.

Are there any other drought-tolerant plants that thrive in your garden pots?