AS we enter our fifth heatwave, three-quarters of England is in drought.
And while most of us are struggling with hosepipe bans, yellow grass, drooping plants and cracked earth, there is one little corner of the capital that is thriving — without a drop of water.
Fulham Palace head gardener Lucy Hart has created a drought-tolerant border that is still green and lush Credit: Olivia West
Lucy carefully selected her plants to be able to survive an extended drought Credit: Olivia West
Lucy Hart, Head Gardener at Fulham Palace, has created a drought-tolerant border that is still green and lush, despite not watering it at all — in any shape or form.
“We only have one outside tap anyway,” Lucy told me.
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“But everything I selected had all the classic mechanisms for drought adaptation.
“So I trialled anything with silver foliage to reflect the light, anything with sword-like upright foliage or with small foliage, succulent foliage like a sedum, or hairy foliage which stops evaporation and transpiration.
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“Then I added a few more things — some of which have worked and some haven’t.
“Some grasses do better than others but there’s stipa gigantea which is doing really well and then things like iris.
“They’re not documented as a drought-tolerant plant but surely it stands to reason they’ll cope — as they’ve got rhizome, which is their storage at ground level.”
Lucy added: “Then they’ve got the silver foliage that’s upright, so I tried that and they’re doing all right. There’s a lovely little euphorbia cyparissias that’s doing brilliantly.”
The west-facing border at the palace, which is right on the banks of the Thames, has river terrace gravel to grow in that is very well drained.
She said: “You do have to try things yourself as well as go by what the books say, just because everyone has different soils and aspects.
CARING FOR THE BORDER
LUCY says: “Our lavender was covered in bees, so we haven’t cut that back yet, but we will soon, to just above the woody stems.
“For salvia we’ll do the same, around April time.
“The grasses will keep up until February until plumes fall.
“The shrubs we’ll keep in shape, as they might get too big.
“With sedums, now called Hylotelephium, you need to Chelsea chop them in mid May – cut them by half.
“They look bad for a week then the new foliage comes up.”
“It’s all very much about what you have got in your garden and what’s around it.
Lucy explained: “Obviously, lavender is the classic.
“Then you have the curry plant.
“And, in terms of salvias, the little hot lips, and the amesythst ones — they’re doing really well because they’ve got little flat leaves. One I thought was interesting is spiraea arguta, which is looking really nice.
“It flowers early spring, giving it some early interest.
“And, finally, Rosa Kew Gardens — that was a little experiment because it’s such a great rose and I just thought, ‘let’s try it’.
“And it’s flowered throughout the whole summer.”
Also in Veronica’s Column this week….
Top tips, gardening news and a petrol lawn mower competition
For more gardening content, follow me @biros_and_bloom
SAVE: IT has never been more important to water carefully, directly on the roots. Argos has a gorgeous green Spear & Jackson 9-litre can for £30 while Toolstation’s plastic ten-litre version is just £6.99.
WIN! OUR pals at Vonhaus have given us a 171cc petrol lawn mower worth £259.99 to give away.
To be in with a chance of winning, visit thesun.co.uk/VONHAUSMOWER or write to Jattvibe Vonhaus competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP.
Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. .
Entries close 11.59pm on August 29, 2026. T&Cs apply
THIS WEEK’S JOB! KEEP deadheading, prune lavender, and pick veg like courgettes and cucumbers little and often – if you let them get too big, they’ll stop growing flowers. Water wisely.
DOODLES OF FUN AT KEW: KEW Gardens is a fabulous place to take the kids this summer.
Included in your entry is the Tom Gates EPIC Adventure, with an interactive doodle wall and crafting activities inspired by the bestselling book.
There is also the usual tree top walk and an outdoor play up until the end of this month, and all sorts of discounts as part of the government’s Great British Summer Saving Initiative.
Under-16s cost £1.75 online and kids under four go free. Young people aged 16 to 29 and students cost £8.75 online. Adults are £21.85 online, or £10 after 4pm.
Those on Universal Credit can get in for a quid, while 2-for-1 entry is also available for visitors who travel by train as part of National Rail’s summer promotion.
