Perennials for dry sandy soil
Sandy soils dry out easily and are low in key nutrients. They allow rainwater to filter through the ground quickly, leaching out nutrients in the process. On the plus side, they are easy to work, warm up quickly in the spring and provide the perfect arid landscape for plants that thrive in dry, infertile soils. Some of the best perennials for dry, sandy soils include Achillea, Agapanthus, Aquilegia, Crocosmia, Echinops, Eryngium, Euphorbia, Geranium, Hemerocallis, Heuchera, Iris, Kniphofia, Liriope, Peony and Salvia. These perennials also work well in low-maintenance planting schemes such as gravel or rock gardens where they’ll require less back-breaking watering work than other varieties. Sandy soils tend to be acidic and benefit from incorporating generous amounts of organic matter such as well rotted garden compost, leaf mould or manure into the soil before planting. See our article on understanding your soil for some simple tests you can do to better understand your garden soil, including tests for acidity and soil composition. You can use the filters on the right to further refine your search by flower colour, flowering time, eventual height/spread and more.