Inspired by the sun-baked Garrigues of southern France, the landscapes of the wider Mediterranean, and areas closer to home with more temperate climates such as the Isle of Wight, Scilly Isles and Cornwall, this space is an exploration of futureproof planting. Xeriscaping is the practice of designing landscapes to reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation, and as temperatures continue to rise and water becomes more precious a resource, the types of plants we use in our borders in the future will need to be more adaptable and resilient.

Key plants:

A Mediterranean-themed and drought-tolerant planting palette; mound forming evergreen shrubs such as Santolina chamaecyparissus (lavender cotton) and Bupleurum fruticosum (shrubby hare’s ear), which knit together to form ground cover; all interspersed with hummock grasses and seasonal flowering perennials.