Drought tolerant plants.

In July or thereabouts, when the drought was setting in and we knew we were going on holiday for 3 weeks at the end of the month, we gave our (steep) garden a good watering and then laid a mulch of straw and hay obtained from our neighbour who breeds guinea pigs.
Of course, not everyone is so fortunate but the mulch worked wonders. We have hebe, various shrubs and herbs, fruit bushes, azealas and they all managed pretty well.
With hot and dry summers forecast for the future, it's worth thinking about weather proofing the garden as best we can.

Camellias are good - they survive some of the really bad droughts we have here. Plus temperatures of 40C plus on occasion. Agapanthus of course- impossible to kill.

Jaxjacky

Grasses, dwarf buddlea, lavatera and asters have been fine.

Ohhh! Yes I love Lavetera & beautiful Cosmos too. I adore creating a slightly- bonkers, free -flowing colourful garden. Nothing is regimented the colours clash madly!
Fabluous darling. 😎

Thank you all for your ideas. I fancy trying globe artichokes, Petrovskia and perhaps sea holly. The bed I described is in full sun all day and has sandy soil which drains down the hill. Plants which I have had for years, some of which are your suggestions, have all died: Geranium Rozanne, Sedum, poppies, Lavatera, even Hollyhocks. Next door has beautiful Asters, one of which she gave me at the same time as she bought hers. Hers are prolific in a very dry partly shaded position, mine have disappeared!
I have RA and just couldn't face climbing the steep steps with heavy watering cans. I usually fill a butt with a hose, but we have a ban.

Is the bed in full sun, shysal? Lavender and sage have been good here, not rosemary so much.
Our Miscanthus zebrinus has been great too.

Grasses, dwarf buddlea, lavatera and asters have been fine.

Geraniums, lavender and begonias, all in pots, have thrived with minimal watering. Perennial geranium in the ground has spread and bloomed all summer. The roses have flowered all summer, some in the ground and others in large containers. As for shrubs, the forsythia has had no attention (of course yellow when in bloom not pink) and is flourishing as are two mauve flowering hibiscus shrubs. Our main casualties have been the geum, I cant decide whether to pull them out or see what happens next year. Gardens are never static that’s for sure.

Yes, I sure do!

Lathyrus3

My globe artichokes have not only survived the drought but have given a stunning display of giant blue heads and green foliage.

Plus I got to eat some of them too😁

Lucky you Lathyrus3! I have never been able to grow those beauties. Do you eat them with a little bowl of melted-butter?

Oh yes. California poppies. They have just kept on flowering and flowering. Gorgeous with lavender.

J52

Sedums come in a variety of shades of pink, they come into their own at this time of year. Yarrow also has a pink variety.My day lilies have been spectacular.

Ohh you pipped me to the post, J52; I was going to say much the same! My Sedums are starting to just look fantastic; all pink and textural & the Yarrows. are so floaty and pretty too.
I would also suggest Nepeta (Cat-mint) & Welsh Poppies, which self-seed beautifully, also try vibrant orange California Poppies, which also colonize the driest of areas too.
There is a very good book by Beth Chatto to dedicated to gardening in dry spaces. You can even go and visit her marvellous dry garden for the ultimate boost of inspiration. Don't forget to take your purse! 😊

The ones which have best survived this hot summer have been the geraniums and the begonias.
Lavender has been reasonably good.

My globe artichokes have not only survived the drought but have given a stunning display of giant blue heads and green foliage.

Plus I got to eat some of them too😁

Lots of plants have died in my garden this year. I am in the south east with a south facing garden and it is so hot.

I had a clematis spread along the back fence which died. I had a large rosemary which died - I thought that would withstand a hot, dry climate. Lots of plants in pots died, despite daily watering. The lawn is not just yellow, but has lots of bare patches.

I am wondering what I should plant next year.

Sedums come in a variety of shades of pink, they come into their own at this time of year. Yarrow also has a pink variety.My day lilies have been spectacular.

All my shrubs seem okay, as for perennials the hardy Geraniums, Hebe's and Lavenders have done well in my garden this year. I don't water the beds at all.