Summer should be spent enjoying the garden, not constantly chasing it with a watering can. While no plant is completely maintenance-free, choosing varieties that thrive in full sun and cope with soaring temperatures can make life much easier during a heatwave.
Many of the most beautiful summer-flowering plants are surprisingly resilient. From Mediterranean favourites that thrive in dry conditions to long-flowering perennials that continue blooming through the hottest weeks of the year, these heat-loving varieties are well equipped to cope when temperatures climb.
That doesn't mean they can be left to fend for themselves. Newly planted flora still need regular watering while they establish strong root systems, and even the toughest plants appreciate an occasional soak during prolonged dry spells. Watering first thing in the morning gives roots the best chance to absorb moisture before the heat of the day arrives, while helping reduce evaporation.
If the compost feels dry a few centimetres below the surface, or you notice it pulling away from the sides of the pot, it's time to water. A little attention at the right moment is often all it takes to keep your containers, borders and hanging baskets looking lush all summer long.
These 12 beautiful plants not only survive in full sun, but positively flourish in it:
1) Lavender
If there's one plant that thrives through a heatwave, it's hardy lavender. This pretty perennial loves a sunny spot and well-drained soil, rewarding you with aromatic purple blooms even during dry spells. Loved by bees, butterflies and country gardeners alike, it's a brilliant choice for bringing long-lasting colour, fragrance and pollinator appeal to borders, pathways and pots throughout summer.
Best heat-resilient lavender: Lavandula × intermedia BUY HERE
2) Rudbeckias
These sun-loving, daisy-like flowers are best known for their cheerful yellow blooms, though you'll also find varieties in rich shades of orange, deep red and brown – ideal for weaving vibrant colour through sunny borders and flowerbeds. While they thrive in full sun, Rudbeckia hirta and Rudbeckia fulgida var. deamii are among the best choices if your garden experiences the occasional wet spell, making them a reliable option for the UK's unpredictable summers.
Best heat-resilient Rudbeckias: Goldstrum BUY HERE
3) Verbena
Perched on tall, slender stems, clusters of purple flowers appear to float above the rest of the border. Despite its delicate appearance, this is a remarkably resilient perennial, thriving in full sun and coping well with dry conditions. Flowering from midsummer into autumn, it adds long-lasting colour while weaving effortlessly through a planting scheme.
Best heat-resilient Verbena: bonariensis BUY HERE
4) Dichondra
If you need a sturdy trailing plant to contrast with other flowers in a mixed container or hanging planter, dichondra is an excellent choice. The cascading stems with its colour and heart-shaped leaves look best spilling out of pots and planters, where its trailing nature can be appreciated.
Best heat-resilient Dichondra: Silver Falls BUY HERE
5) Catmint
Not just a favourite with cats, this easy-going perennial is equally appreciated by gardeners for its long-lasting spikes of lavender-blue flowers and fragrant silvery-green foliage. Thriving in full sun and coping well with dry conditions, it flowers for months with very little fuss. Better still, while cats may adore it, deer and rabbits tend to leave it alone, making it a hardworking addition to heat-tolerant borders.
Best heat-resilient catmint: Walker's Low BUY HERE
6) Crocosmia
Proving that bold colour and resilience can go hand in hand, crocosmia's arching stems are lined with trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of orange, red and yellow, bringing a vibrant burst of colour to borders from mid to late summer. Happy in most soil types and thriving in both full sun and dappled shade, this one is an excellent choice for low-maintenance gardens.
Best heat-resilient Crocosmia: Lucifer BUY HERE
7) Salvia
Salvia's elegant flower spikes, available in shades of purple, pink and white, keep gardens looking colourful all summer long. Thriving in full sun and coping well with hot, dry conditions, they're wonderfully forgiving. Leave the old growth in place over winter to help protect the base from frost, then cut it back hard in spring to encourage a fresh flush of new shoots. Easy to grow and low maintainence, it's a brilliant choice for novice gardeners.
Best heat-resilient Salvia: Caradonna BUY HERE
8) Stonecrop
If you're after a plant that looks after itself, Stonecrop is hard to beat. Its succulent leaves store water, allowing it to handle hot, dry spells, while its domed flower heads provide months of colour from late summer into autumn. Requiring little more than a sunny spot, it's a dependable choice for low-maintenance gardens and a favourite with pollinators.
Best heat-resilient Stonecrop: Autumn Joy BUY HERE
9) Canna Lily
With its oversized tropical leaves in shades of green, burgundy and chocolate, paired with bold blooms in fiery reds, oranges, pinks and yellows, canna lily brings an instant holiday feel to the garden. This sun-loving plant thrives in the heat and makes a striking centrepiece for borders and large containers. Water regularly during prolonged dry spells to keep it looking its best. In most parts of the UK, cannas should be lifted after the first frost and stored somewhere cool and frost-free over winter before being replanted the following spring.
Best heat-resilient Canna: Tropicanna BUY HERE
10) Agapanthus
One of summer's most spectacular bloomers, this decadent flower sends up tall stems topped with rounded clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of blue, purple and white. Thriving in full sun, this elegant perennial copes well with hot, dry conditions and flowers best when its roots are slightly restricted, making it ideal for containers as well as borders. Its architectural shape brings height and structure to the garden all summer long.
Best heat-resilient Agapanthus: Northern Star BUY HERE
11) Rose
If you're looking for a flower that can cope with a little neglect, Rosa rugosa really does come up roses. This hardy shrub tolerates hot, dry conditions far better than many other rose varieties. Throughout summer, it produces beautifully scented single blooms in shades of pink or white, followed by vibrant red rose hips in autumn. Disease-resistant and easy to grow, it's a reliable choice for low-maintenance gardens that don't compromise on beauty.
Best heat-resilient Rose: Rosa Rugosa BUY HERE
12) Sea holly
More thistle than flower, this plant is every bit as striking as delicate blooms. Its spiky, blue flower heads and silvery stems add visual interest to borders, while its deep roots help it cope with hot, dry conditions. Happy in full sun and free-draining soil, this low-maintenance variety is also a magnet for bees and makes an excellent cut or dried flower.
Best heat-resilient Sea Holly: Big Blue BUY HERE
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