This drought-tolerant flowering plant is the star of my mum's garden border every summer – it’s tall, pretty and a magnet for butterflies
It doesn't even need staking!
Since there’s a focus on climate-resilient planting this year (thank you, heatwaves!), I’m taking a leaf out of my mum’s book – or, more specifically, her garden border.
That means I’ll be learning how to grow verbena this summer – it’s a drought-tolerant classic, so it has a much easier ride in heatwaves, and a visit home last weekend confirmed that it's an absolute magnet for bees and butterflies. Plus, the purple flowers are really pretty.
Here’s why I’ll be adding verbena to my garden this summer.
What you'll need
My mum grows Verbena bonariensis in her garden border every year.
Or, grow Verbena rigida for low-growing, drought-tolerant ground cover.
Horticultural grit is great at improving drainage in heavier soils.
Verbena is one of the best drought-tolerant plants out there because it takes hot, dry weather with a pinch of salt. Better still, you barely have to worry about watering it.
‘Once established in your garden (growing for two years or more), it will be so resistant to dry weather that you won’t need to provide it with water for three to four weeks during the summer,’ says Lucie Bradley.
You’ll only need to be a little more proactive about watering (deep watering, specifically) during heatwaves.
‘It’s only during long periods of drought and heatwave conditions that verbena growing in garden beds or borders will need you to water it, and even then it is likely to recuperate,’ explains Lucie.
Verbena bonariensis (which you can order from Crocus) is the type of verbena my mum grows, and it's what’s known as a tender perennial. That means that although it doesn’t technically survive the winter, it self-seeds enough to give you free plants year after year. It’s tall, too, earning its well-deserved place at the back of a garden border – and the stems are so rigid, you don’t even have to stake them.
If you're short on space, though, Verbena rigida is low-growing and perfect for pots. Verbena rigida f. lilacina 'Polaris', which you can also buy from Crocus, produces fragrant clusters of pale lilac flowers.
Another thing I love about verbena is its long flowering period, which often spans from early summer to autumn, depending on the variety. Purple is my favourite colour, so maybe I’m biased – but the tiny blooms on flat flowerheads are so beautiful.
’This sun-loving perennial will remain vibrant and in full bloom throughout periods of intense sunshine and dry heat, with Verbena bonariensis still producing striking displays with its dense clusters of tiny lilac-purple flowers,’ says Lucie.
Plus, verbena is perfect if you’re looking for wildlife garden ideas.
'Verbena bonariensis' purple flowers are shrouded in a confetti of butterflies as soon as there is a glimpse of sunshine,’ says garden expert Sarah Raven.
Verbena is beautiful, climate-resilient and a magnet for butterflies. It's an all-round winner in my eyes!
