Top 76 Plant Species Recommended by Global Experts for Thriving in a Changing Climate

In the face of climate change and poor soil conditions, experts are advocating for resilient, drought-tolerant, and low-maintenance plants for future-proof gardens. Here's a selection of plants that excel in these criteria, suitable for creating sustainable, beautiful, and climate-resilient gardens.

August to December bloomers

Erigeron annuus produces delicate, small, white daisy flowers, adding a touch of elegance to gardens from August to December.

Sunny border stars

Calamintha nepeta, with its deliciously aromatic leaves, is a bridesmaid for the front of every sunny border.

Autumn foliage charm

Heuchera villosa* 'Autumn Bride' boasts soft, downy foliage that takes on fantastic autumn colors, making it an ideal choice for autumn gardens.

Early spring and late summer bloomers

Thalictrum 'Elin' has leaves that push from the ground in early spring, dark purple in their first flush before mellowing to a more glaucous green. The plant also offers large heads of flowers in late summer.
Agapanthus 'White Heaven' blooms with large heads of pure-white flowers in late summer over evergreen foliage.
Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert' offers pure-white flowers in virtually never-ending abundance.

Meadow naturalizers

Camassia quamash is a brilliant perennial bulb to naturalize in a meadow setting.

Long-flowering perennials

Geranium Patricia* (= 'Brempat') has an amazingly long flowering time, from early summer through to November.
Aster x frikartii 'Mönch' has masses of daisy-like flowers in late summer and autumn.
Rumex acetosa throws up skyward wires of toasted-red flowers from mid to late summer.

Shady spot beauties

Digitalis canariensis has burnt-orange, flame-flicked flowers with an apricot blush, brightening up a shady spot.
Digitalis lutea adds tall and elegant beauty to brighten up a shady spot.
Linum perenne is a blue to stop you in your tracks, this lovely little perennial flax speaks of summer skies and linen frocks.

Annual must-haves

Orlaya grandiflora, if you have only one annual, this has to be it.

Mediterranean-origin, native, and drought-tolerant plants

Experts such as Conrad Batten, Marian Boswall, Nigel Dunnett, Olivier Filippi, and Tom Massey recommend the following Mediterranean-origin, native, drought-tolerant, and structurally interesting plants:

Lavandula (Lavender): Compact, fragrant, drought-tolerant once established, and excellent for pollinators. Thrives in full sun and well-draining soil.
Euphorbia: Hardy perennial that grows well in dry, nutrient-poor soils, providing structure and color for much of the year. Caution is advised as its sap can cause allergic reactions.
Sedum (Hylotelephium): Succulent perennial with water-storing leaves, ideal for gravel borders and rockeries, very drought-tolerant after establishment.
Eryngium: Architectural with spiky grey-blue bracts, drought-tolerant and attracts bees.
Agapanthus: Clusters of white and blue flowers, drought-tolerant once mature and good for borders or containers.
Alder (Alnus glutinosa): A native tree that thrives on poor, moist soils, providing shelter for wildlife and enhancing biodiversity.
Crab apple, Oak leaf hydrangea, Persicaria, Aster, Evergreen clematis (specifically Clematis armandii), and Cosmos are also recommended for starting resilient gardens due to their hardiness and ornamental value.

Perennials for warm soils

Perennials like coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, bee balm, allium, heliopsis, yarrow, and agastache are praised for their ability to establish in warm soils, bloom late into the growing season, and offer long-lasting color.

Winter enchanters

Sarcococca confusa is known as sweet box, a winter enchanter with a sweet aroma.
Hydrangea aspera* Villosa Group has greyish, felted leaves, purple and white flowers, beautiful flaking bark in the winter, and an open structure.

Meadow paint flicks

Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Blackfield' has blood-red flowers that work brilliantly as paint flicks of color through grasses.

Bee fodder delights

Selinum wallichianum with masses of starry parsley heads above pretty, fern-like, cut leaves, this is a delightful froth of bee fodder for any border.
Prunella vulgaris is an easily overlooked, but key wildflower meadow plant.

Hardy shrubs and trees

Mahonia eurybracteata subsp. ganpinensis 'Soft Caress' lacks the strident architecture of the usual mahonias and is easy to fit into any scheme.
Arbutus unedo flowers in winter and is a useful forage plant for brave bees out on a cold sunny day.
The aster Astilbe chinensis var. taquetii* 'Purpurlanze' has purple-pink flowers that shine and seedheads that stand all winter long.
Myrtus communis is an evergreen shrub that treats you to a spiced aroma when brushed.

Prairie perennials

Rudbeckia occidentalis 'Green Wizard' is a tough prairie perennial that does well in most places.

Designer's choice

Designer Conrad Batten has chosen 76 resilient plants for future gardening.

Dry meadow and steppe plants

Dianthus carthusianorum is a go-to plant for dry meadow and steppe plantings.

Deep-blue pop of color

Iris 'Benton Nigel' is a pop of deep-blue color that appears just when we need it.

Elegant, beautifully scented flowers

Narcissus* 'Actaea' has elegant, beautifully scented flowers. The white flowers are combined with a small, yellow-orange cup that has a darker rim.

Hardy and edible flowers

Agastache 'Blackadder' is a member of the hyssop family, this dark, giant cultivar is the most hardy and has edible flowers that go on for months.
Prunus cerasifera offers clouds of delicate, pink-tinged white blossom in early spring followed by edible plum-like fruits in autumn.

High-summer froth

Daucus carota has white umbels that froth through high-summer plantings.

Late-autumn and winter bloomers

Rosa 'Noisette Carneé' is a climbing rose that often flowers at the end of November.
Viburnum carlesii has a perfume to turn heads in early summer, this is my favorite of this useful genus.
Miscanthus sinensis* 'Silberfeder' produces masses of flowers in autumn that stay on right through the winter.

Small tree or shrub addition

Sambucus nigra is a small tree or shrub. A beautiful addition to any sustainable garden.

Soil and bee feeder

Phacelia tanacetifolia helps feed both the soil and the bees.

Hardy annual

Nigella damascena is this hardy annual is so simple and yet so complex, with a center like a passion flower and stunning seedheads too.

Shady area brightener

Blechnum spicant, a hard fern, brightens shady areas and combines well with many other shade-loving plants.

Bee and butterfly magnet

Origanum 'Kent Beauty' has very sweet nectar makes this a bee and butterfly magnet.

Lilac-coloured allium flowers

Allium schubertii has enormous, lilac-coloured allium flowers that look fabulously quirky in any border but are also great bee plants.

To create sustainable gardens that are resilient against climate change, consider planting Erigeron annuus for its August to December bloom, providing delicate white flowers.
Calamintha nepeta is a delightful addition to sunny borders with its aromatic leaves and flowering potential.
For autumn charm, Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride' offers soft foliage that transforms into fantastic autumn colors, ideal for autumn gardens.
Thalictrum 'Elin' and Agapanthus 'White Heaven' are suitable choices for early spring and late summer bloomers, offering both visual appeal and resilience.
Camassia quamash is a perennial bulb that excels in meadow settings, making it a great choice for naturalizing and enhancing the landscape with a touch of design and environmental science.

Top 76 Plant Species Recommended by Global Experts for Thriving in a Changing Climate