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Any suggestions for drought tolerant plants that can add a little height at the back of a border?

Swooping SwallowSwooping Swallow Posts: 24
in Plants
I'm planting up a west facing border in my front garden/driveway. The border is 3.5m x 2m in size and behind its longer length is the house's front bay window. I've added 3 Calamagrostis Karl Foerster in the corner to add height and have a Perovskia Blue Spire that I will put beside the grasses, probably on the 2m length. 

I'm not sure of what other plants I can use to add height to about 1m. The border isn't big enough to take another Perovskia and whatever plant I use has to have enough foliage to screen brickwork (most drought tolerant plants are quite scant on foliage - for obvious reasons).

Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can use? The soil is poor and sandy, though I've added lots of manure. The idea is to plant it with drought tolerant plants, and there don't seem to be many options that can do this job.

Thanks.    
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Posts

  • GearóidGearóid Posts: 198
    Bronze Fennel. 
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Can you please provide a picture. Are you bothered about seeing out of the window,?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited July 2021
    Eryngiums, Heleniums, Asters, Salvias, Lychnis. The fennel will be perfect but will get to more than a metre, although it's so light and airy, I can't see it would be a problem.

    Those grasses will get to more than a metre quite easily and may end up taking over a bit too. It's not a very big space.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • gondorgondor Posts: 135
    Phygelius rectus 'devil's tears? Some people think it can be invasive but I haven't found that the be the case yet. I see it to be drought tolerant in that it is free of powdery mildew and I don't remember it drooping the hear.
    Other than that, yeah I would agree with a salvia, but if you start with a 9cm pot it will take a couple of years to get to the 1m you want.
    Could also try linaria purpurea but some people see that as a weed (I don't).
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Verbena hastata might be worth a punt. Verbascum chaixii (or V. c. 'Album') perhaps, short lived but self seeds. Achillea 'Coronation Gold' is excellent, I really like the flat dense mustard-yellow heads. Symphyotrichum novae-angliae cultivars seem to cope with drought quite well, mine is against a south facing wall and gets roasted, and seems perfectly happy.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Alan Clark2 in LiverpoolAlan Clark2 in Liverpool Posts: 2,190
    Daylilies are very drought tolerant, and many are 1 metre or more high.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Achillea's a good shout @Loxley. Loads of different ones, depending on colour preference.
    Some of the 'nicer' cultivars of Kniphofia would be good too, as opposed to the bog standard hideous one. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Swooping SwallowSwooping Swallow Posts: 24
    Nanny Beach said:
    Can you please provide a picture. Are you bothered about seeing out of the window,?
    I'll post a picture later today. Thanks for the suggestions so far. They aren't plants I know about, so I'll certainly look into them!
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I have dry sandy soil and I agree with all the suggestions above. I'll add Helianthus Lemon Queen. It's height is usually given as taller than you want, but here it doesn't get much over about 4 or 5 feet - I think the dry sandy soil limits its growth (RHS Harlow Carr have it growing much taller than mine - it's significantly wetter there). Aster Little Carlow does well too, but is a little shorter than 1m. At a similar height to the Helianthus is Aconitum napellus (if you can be sure no dogs or children will chew it - it's very poisonous). For red foliage, I'm surprised how well Persicaria "Red Dragon" is doing - currently not far off a metre high and sprawling sideways as well. Agastache do well too, as well as most types of Salvias, and Veronica spicata (different colours and heights - look for a taller variety).
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    edited July 2021
    Fairygirl said:
    Achillea's a good shout @Loxley. Loads of different ones, depending on colour preference.
    Some of the 'nicer' cultivars of Kniphofia would be good too, as opposed to the bog standard hideous one. 
    Kniphofia 'Tawny King', the most beautiful and long flowering!
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
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