Prepare for a dry summer, says VAL BOURNE

Lots of gardeners were in despair last summer because of the hosepipe ban. Many struggled to carry cans of water to their flagging treasures. But there are plenty of plants that shrug off drought and never need watering and, as drier summers seem to be becoming the norm, it would be sensible to grow water-wise plants that actually love hot, dry conditions.

Any plant with silvery aromatic or pungent leaves will be able to withstand strong sunshine and dry conditions. The pungent smell is produced by an oily covering that's the plant equivalent of Factor 30 sunscreen. Lavender, sage, phlomis, origanum, artemisia, anthemis, achillea and ballota will provide you with an array of textured, silvered leaves. These will form a soft tapestry, and lavender, achillea and phlomis will also flower as well.

These aromatic plants also fight drought by putting down a deep root system that can go down several feet. Planting now will help them to establish those necessary deep roots. Always choose well-drained, sunny positions - all sunlovers will sulk in shade.

Plants with thick, fleshy leaves also thrive. Sedum Purple Emperor' is the best sedum of all. The permanently dark foliage has neatly crimped edges and by August or September the flowers have turned a rich ruby-red. The foliage colour darkens attractively in hotter, sunnier summers and contrasts well against silver foliage.

You could also add a smattering of plants with needle-like leaves: these include rosemary and all dianthus. Rosemary is green-leaved, but the soft-blue flowers are always very early - often in February. It combines well with an under planting of cream or orange crocus. Pinks need a front-of-border position as they hate being overshadowed.

Add some bulbous or tuberous plants, too: they carry their own water supply underground. Purple alliums are excellent and you can choose from the May-flowering Purple Sensation' to the paler, starrier June alliums with sputnik-like seed heads. These include A. cristophii and A. schubertii. But both need a warm site. The July-flowering drumstick allium, A. sphaerocephalon, and similar (but jazzier) Hair' can also be added. But do plant these tallish, slender-stemmed alliums in groups of seven or nine for eye-impact.

The dahlia is another drought-tolerant plant with an underground water supply, but you need to plant out your sprouted tubers in mid-May to allow them to develop good roots. Dahlias come from Mexico but South African plants perform well, too. Broader-leaved kniphofias (red-hot pokers), the amazing swaying dierama (or Angel's fishing rod) and deciduous agapanthus do especially well planted in gravel. This gritty layer doubles as a water-retentive mulch in summer and a water filter in winter.

Taproots can also sustain, but any tap-rooted plant needs transplanting early, before that large brittle root forms. Verbascums and many eryngiums come into this category and both form strong sculptural shapes.

All these plants need lighter, well-drained soil. Those of you with clay soil need to develop leafy cover by planting densely to prevent the soil cracking. Aim to cover every bit of soil by mid-May. Mulching in April and May will also help.