If you don’t want the hassle of the upkeep of a grass lawn, a gravel garden could be a good solution for you. They are easy to look after and there’s an abundance of plants that thrive in the relatively dry environment of gravel.
Plants from places prone to drought conditions, like the Mediterranean, are a good place to start and there is a good variety of both colourful flowers and interesting leaf shapes to give your garden that holiday at home feel all year round.
1. Lavender
It looks beautiful, smells divine and thrives in dry conditions, so lavender is a perfect addition to any gravel garden. It is an easy-to-grow evergreen plant, so even when it’s not flowering, the leaves will give shape and texture to your garden. They are best placed in the sunshine but are known to be quite hardy anywhere.
2. Cistus
These pretty white or pink flowers add a delicate splash of colour all summer long. Another evergreen that can thrive even in poor soil, cistus plants go very well with lavender and rosemary. They will be happiest planted in a bright sunny spot, out of the wind.
3. Phlomis
These interesting plants produce yellow or pink whorls of flowers along their stems, giving a little height and architecture to a garden. They flower all summer but have pretty seedheads and dark green, arrow like leaves to keep the interest in winter. A favourite of the bees too, the phlomis is a real win-win.
