Plants for the heat

Portugal, particularly the south, is experiencing water shortages, and whether we like it or not, it’s probable that we may eventually face restrictions on usage. The last thing we want is water cuts or restrictions at certain times of the day, or worse, certain days. The Climate Crisis is real and is starting to be felt.

Nevertheless, we will still want to keep gardens looking good, so perhaps now is a good time to consider using more drought-resistant plants in them, retaining some colour and life. Nobody wants to sit and look at dried-up flowerbeds because you can’t be seen – quite rightly - to be ‘wasting’ water.

Far too often plants are grown here that are not suited to our climate, and perhaps excessive water is being used to keep them healthy. We should be growing plants, shrubs and trees that are better suited to the conditions here, and if you have a clean slate of a garden and are looking for planting ideas, the best resource will be your local garden centre, they will be happy to help.

Old Favourites

There are some old favourites that can stand being mentioned again, needing very little attention.

Lavender (lavendula) is aromatic and drought-tolerant, and being easy to grow, they make excellent hardy border plants. All lavenders are popular with bees, butterflies and other pollinators, and are happy in the sun with well-drained, chalky or sandy soil. They will also thrive in containers, herb and gravel gardens and sunny balconies, and are even popular for coastal planting.

Lantana is another – originally native to Central and South America and despite being an invasive species, they are a colourful addition to gardens as long as you control them with a hard pruning once in a while and are a great border filler. Bees love them, and you will get a continual flow of pink, yellow and orange colour year after year.

Agave and other succulents store moisture in their leaves, and there are many species of succulents and cacti that do well in the heat with minimal attention and very little water. Succulents have leaves that are often thick and waxy that have the ability to close their pores rather than lose water through respiration. With beautiful colours and shapes, they bring variety and contrast to your garden.

If you space to go the tree route, many varieties of fruit trees, such as olive, carob, almond, fig and citrus, have adapted to this climate and are highly productive.

Don’t waste your waste!

At the risk of sounding like a green freak, you can still keep your garden watered by using ‘greywater’ - water that has previously been used from your bathroom sinks, showers and bathtubs, etc., but not water that has come from either from the toilet or from washing diapers!

When running the bath, shower or washing up and waiting for the hot to appear, collect the cold in a bucket or an empty water bottle. It may take a little effort to collect and distribute, but you will get great satisfaction from not wasting any of our precious resources.

Ways to save water usage are plenty, and we all know them, but a reminder doesn’t hurt - turn off the tap while brushing your teeth; run the washing machine/dishwasher when you have a full load only; take shorter showers or use a low flow shower head and tap aerators; use the low flush if your loo has a dual flush option or add a rock or a water bottle to your toilet tank.

When you do water your plants, mornings are best as the plant has the day to dry out – whereas at night, the water tends to rest in the soil around the roots and on the foliage, which encourages rot, fungal growth, and insects. And don’t forget – plants in pots are more difficult to hydrate as moisture evaporates more quickly from containers that are above the ground, having a limited amount of soil to hold on to the moisture.

And for a leaky tap – get it fixed or save the drips!

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan