A very sunny garden, a hot situation without any shade and a dry ground do not necessarily represent an obstacle to an opulent garden.
For ecological reasons, it is simpler to choose plants adapted to these conditions rather than trying at all costs to grow plants that will require complex arrangements for a poor result. Focus on sunny plants.
Nature's tricks
Some plants have adapted to extreme conditions by evolving to withstand the scorching sun and to compensate for evaporation.
The most obvious case is that of succulent plants whose tough, juicy foliage is perfectly adapted to drought episodes. As for cacti, most of them have only stems and stings, the leaves being too water-loving organs and favouring too much evaporation.
Other plants such as graptopetalums or eucalyptus have developed a whitish bloom or hair very soft to the touch like Stachys lanata to protect themselves from the sun's rays.
The stems and leaves then take on a perfect silvery or white hue to reflect the sun's rays. This is also the case with olive trees, lavender, santolines and many plants growing in Mediterranean regions.
Another parade: the tough aerial organs of yuccas, for example, or glossy in the case of laurels and pittosporums.
The choice of plants according to the terrain
Dry and poor land :
The choice is vast, just take inspiration from the warm and sheltered areas where these plants grow naturally. For large subjects, we will turn to the Yuccas, olive trees, always majestic in a garden, the Phormiums and the very graphic cordylines in the background.
For lovers of beautiful flowering, the mimosa remains a must. More original, the pomegranate tree with its crumpled orange bloom or the Indian Lilac will ensure the show for many months.
For rockeries and borders, choose easy plants such as lavender, rosemary, large irises, helicrysum or santolines that require minimal maintenance.
The gazania with its brilliant flowering and bright colors will be perfect to create borders even at the seaside.
In the flowerbeds, make the beautiful part with grasses: blue fescue, stipa, pennisetum... the choice is vast. Combine them with succulent plants such as sedums whose many varieties cover a palette of colors, shapes and sizes impressive.
Create flowering meadows that will attract pollinating insects by sowing poppies, knapweeds or by planting monards.
What could be more aesthetic than a dry stone wall dressed with cascades of flowers?
The fragrant alyssum or the golden basket will be marvelous in the company of aubriet, gypsophila or erecting. Spectacular results guaranteed for reduced maintenance!
Fertile and humid ground :
At the bottom of the massif, the large canopies will illuminate the decor with their brightly colored floral sticks.
For foliage effects, bamboos will be perfect in all situations: hedges, ground cover borders, there are as many varieties as there are uses in the garden.
The large grasses structure the garden, it is the case of the cane of Provence (Arundo donax) which will be perfect in background, close to a water point, or the grass of the pampas always spectacular subject isolated on a lawn. For the same use, the large subjects of Kniphofia, with the erected floral spikes, sometimes bicolored, will give a little exotic air to the garden.
Finally, many flowers can decorate your flowerbeds and borders such as zinnias, ornamental tobacco, verbena, dahlias and nasturtiums.
