Plants for Sandy Soil


Plants for sandy soil turn light, fast-draining ground into an easy place to garden. The right plants love the sharp drainage that sandy soil offers and shrug off the summer dryness that comes with it.

363 products

    363 products
    Callistemon pallidus 'Bianco' 23cm / 5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Lemon Bottlebrush 'Bianco'

    Callistemon pallidus 'Bianco'

    £29.99
    1
    Callistemon citrinus violaceus 23cm / 5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Purple Bottlebrush

    Callistemon citrinus violaceus

    £29.99
    1
    Banksia integrifolia 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Coast Banksia

    Banksia integrifolia

    £16.99
    1
    Cyathea tomentosissima Plants - Outdoor GrowTropicals

    Golden Dwarf Tree Fern

    Cyathea tomentosissima

    £53.99
    1
    Oxalis Vulcan Gold Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Firefern (Molten Lava Sorrel)

    Oxalis Vulcan Gold

    £11.99
    Polystichum lepidocaulon Plants - Outdoor GrowTropicals

    Hardy exotic

    Polystichum lepidocaulon

    £15.99£25.99Save 38%
    Muehlenbeckia Axillaris variegated Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Creeping Wire Vine (Variegated)

    Muehlenbeckia Axillaris variegated

    £6.99
    Oxalis triangularis Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Purple False Shamrock (Love Plant)

    Oxalis triangularis

    £9.99
    Euphorbia 'Miner's Merlot' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Spurge (Miner's Merlot)

    Euphorbia 'Miner's Merlot'

    £7.99
    1
    Oxalis Vulcan Red Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Firefern (Molten Lava Sorrel)

    Oxalis Vulcan Red

    £9.99
    Podocarpus henkelii Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Henkel's Yellowwood

    Podocarpus henkelii

    £29.99
    Psidium cattleyanum 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Strawberry Guava (Red)

    Psidium cattleyanum

    £8.99
    Elegia tectorum Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Cape Thatching Reed (Restio)

    Elegia tectorum

    £26.99
    Coleus 'Love Bird' 12cm / 1L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Coleus / Painted Nettle 'Love Bird'

    Coleus 'Love Bird'

    £11.99
    Agave parryi red select Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Parry's Agave (Artichoke Agave)

    Agave parryi red select

    £19.99
    Aeonium arboreum 'Velours' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Dark Purple Aeonium 'Velours'

    Aeonium arboreum 'Velours'

    £12.99
    Hydrangea macrophylla Midnight Pearl Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Big-leaf Hydrangea, Midnight Pearl

    Hydrangea macrophylla Midnight Pearl

    £42.99
    Orostachys iwarenge 'Chinese Hat' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Chinese Dunce Cap (Chinese Hat)

    Orostachys iwarenge 'Chinese Hat'

    £11.99
    Tamarix tetrandra 17cm / 2L (Collection Only) Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Tamarisk (Spring-flowering)

    Tamarix tetrandra

    £16.99
    Loropetalum Black Pearl Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Chinese Fringe Flower, Black Pearl

    Loropetalum Black Pearl

    £33.99

    Gardening on sandy soil

    Sandy soil is light, gritty and quick to drain. It warms up early in spring and is easy to dig, which plants and gardeners both appreciate, but water and nutrients wash straight through it, so it dries out fast in summer and needs feeding more often than heavier ground.

    The plants here are built for exactly that. Many are naturally drought-tolerant, with the deep roots or tough, silver foliage that suit fast-draining ground, so they cope with the dryness that would stress a thirstier plant. Adding organic matter helps the soil hold a little more moisture, and a mulch each spring keeps it from drying out too quickly. Sandy soil is also the easiest place to grow anything that hates winter wet.

    All grown for UK gardens and sent out well rooted.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Drought-tolerant plants thrive here: those with deep roots or tough, silver foliage suit the sharp drainage and cope with summer dryness. Sandy soil is also perfect for anything that hates sitting wet in winter.

    Dig in plenty of organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure to help it hold water and nutrients, and mulch each spring. Feeding little and often through the growing season makes up for what drains away.

    Yes, water drains through it fast, so it dries out quicker than clay or loam in summer. New plants need regular watering, but established drought-tolerant plants cope well once their roots go down.

    It has real advantages. It is easy to dig, warms up early in spring, and never waterlogs, which suits a huge range of sun-loving and drought-tolerant plants. It just needs feeding and mulching to make up for fast drainage.