If you love the taste of Mediterranean and homegrown food, it’s worth knowing which drought-tolerant herbs to plant in July.
Gardeners seem to be moving closer to drought-tolerant planting by the year, and with more heatwaves on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to plant herbs that thrive in hot, dry conditions. They’re low-maintenance, but they’re just as versatile in the kitchen as other herbs.
In fact, the best drought-tolerant herbs are timeless favourites in the UK. You'll just need to make sure the soil is watered and workable enough to start planting, so that the plants can easily establish themselves.
Herb planters
This unusual herb planter has six compartments for a range of herbs, and it's ideal for patios and balconies.
Stackable pots are ideal for planting a range of different herbs in a customisable design.
This terracotta pot makes a beautiful home for Mediterranean herbs.
1. Sage
Sage always makes me think of a roast dinner, but it actually has Mediterranean roots. It’s one of the best drought-tolerant herbs you can plant in July if you’re looking for delicious harvests with minimal effort.
‘Sage is easy to grow and needs very little attention,’ says Annelise Brilli, Thompson & Morgan’s horticultural expert. ‘Plant it in a sunny spot with reliably free-draining soil, and it should thrive for many years.’
Alongside the regular green-leaved forms of sage, Annelise recommends ornamental varieties with colourful foliage like ‘Tricolour’ and ‘Purpurascens’ (available at Crocus), which make attractive edging plants.
Where to buy sage:
- Crocus: Buy 9cm pots of aromatic common sage .
- Suttons: Sage 'Tricolour' produces purple, white and pink foliage.
2. Rosemary
If you’re hoping to plant a drought-tolerant herb in July that’s reliable, hardy and productive, rosemary is a brilliant choice. It’s perfectly at home in a range of soils, temperatures and weathers, which might make it the most resilient herb on this list.
‘Unlike many other Mediterranean herbs, it thrives in both dry, gravelly soils and heavier clay soils,’ says Annelise. ‘Hardy enough to withstand cold, wet winters, it is also long-lived. Upright forms such as ‘Miss Jessop's Upright’ can be clipped into hedges, whilst ‘Blue Cascade’ will tumble over walls and rockeries.’
My mum had a rosemary shrub in the border for all of my childhood, and I’d often use the leaves to make ‘potions’ because they had such a nice scent. Rosemary 'Miss Jessop's Upright' is available from Thompson & Morgan in a range of sizes.
Where to buy rosemary:
- B&Q: Order a rosemary plant in a terracotta pot .
- Crocus: Grow Rosemary 'Blue Cascade' for beautiful trailing foliage and flowers.
3. Thyme
Another kitchen classic, thyme is drought-tolerant and perfectly adapted to hot, dry climates. You can buy a Carbeth Plants culinary thyme plant in a 14cm pot from Amazon, and when it flowers, it’ll attract bees to your garden, too.
‘Thyme is a tough, drought-resistant herb that grows well in poor soil and sunny conditions,' says Chris Bonnett, the founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk. 'It requires minimal watering and is perfect for borders, rock gardens or containers.'
Thyme grows well in containers, raised beds and borders, so it’s perfect for filling in any bare patches in your garden.
Where to buy thyme:
- Suttons: Order peat-free potted thyme plants .
- Amazon: Grow lemon thyme for a citrus twist.
Plant these drought-tolerant varieties for a climate-resilient herb garden that tastes as good as it smells.
