10 of the best plants that can thrive in poor-quality soil
To help you out, home and garden experts at Nth Degree have detailed a number of plants that would be perfect for poor-quality soil.
Top 10 plants that can thrive in poor-quality soil
Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan)
Rudbeckia hirta, commonly known as Black-eyed Susan, is a plant suitable for dry, low-fertility soils.
Its nickname comes from its bold, bright orange and yellow petals and deep brown centres, which can give a pop of colour to your garden.
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Echinaceas, or coneflowers, are large, daisy-like flowers which are great at tolerating dry soil.
The plant helps to encourage biodiversity in your garden and can have pink, white, red or orange petals.
It is noted to make sure coneflowers get enough sun to help them thrive.
Festuca glauca (Blue Fescue)
Blue Fescue is an ornamental grass with "vibrant ice-blue leaves" which is able to tolerate drought and prefers lean soil.
Sedum (Stonecrop)
Stonecrop is another drought-resistant plant that is a "sun-loving succulent-leaved perennial".
Nth Degree adds: "Poor soils are preferable, as rich soils will encourage soft, leafy stems liable to fall over."
Artemisia
Aretmisia has "fragrant, icy green foliage", which prefers drier and chalkier soil to be planted in.
Heavy and poorly-drained soil is one to avoid for this plant, as it can cause it to die back.
Lavender
Lavender is a pleasant-smelling plant which can be a colourful addition to your garden if it gets enough sun.
Lavender is a plant that's great for attracting bees (Image: Getty Images)
Nth Degree adds: "Lavender HATES wet soil and doesn't like to be watered often, making it a good candidate for poor-quality soil."
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)
Russian Sage looks a little bit like lavender from afar with its spiking purple flowers, and also attracts bees like its counterpart.
Additionally, it is strong enough to handle tough planting conditions and dry, chalky soil.
Verbena rigida (Slender Vervain)
Slender Vervain has won the Plants for Pollinators award from the RHS in the past, with it being a magnet for bees and butterflies.
Slender Vervain prefers a dry and sunny spot to flower (Image: Getty Images)
It prefers a dry and sunny spot to flower, and it is great for edging paths where you've got poor-quality soil.
Helianthemum nummularium (Rock Rose)
Found mainly in the south and east of Scotland, Rock Rose grows perennially in chalk and limestone-rich cliffs and banks.
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It can make a great addition to rockeries and walled gardens where you might have lower-quality soil.
Stachys byzantina (Lamb's Ear)
Lamb's Ear has "velvety, silver-tinged foliage" which can add "an inimitable texture to any planting scheme".
It's also perfect for gravelly soil or dry border planting as it's drought-tolerant.
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