Hardy plants
at your local Dobbies

Hardy plants are great for adding lasting colour and interest to your garden year after year. Many of these resilient plants thrive in shade, are drought tolerant and can withstand the colder temperatures too. In-store now at your local Dobbies you’ll find a wide range of varieties, from well known favourites to the more unusual, perfect for planting now.

In-store now

Discover below all the advice and inspiration you need to help you choose and plant your hardy plants. Then pop into your local store to pick up your favourites, with great offers including 3 for £15 on our cottage garden perennials.

All you need to know about hardy plants

Hardy plants typically refer to plants that are able to withstand cold winter temperatures. They come back year after year and include perennial flowers, shrubs, trees, grasses and ferns.

Autumn and spring are usually the best time to plant your perennials. The soil is warm then, which means your plants can establish a good root system for healthy growth, but many of our plants are container grown so can be planted 12 months of the year should conditions allow.

A perennial or hardy plant comes back year after year, and is tolerant of colder temperatures, whereas whereas most annual plants have a lifespan of just twelve months, providing a burst of colour before dying back in autumn.

Most hardy plants will benefit from a feed at least once a year. This is usually best done in spring to help plants recover from the effects of winter and promote healthy growth for the season ahead.

Caring for your hardy plants looks different depending on the type of plant, and the season. We'd recommend deadheading to encourage new growth, removing dead leaves from stems, and feed your perennials throughout the year. Caring for your hardy plants looks different depending on the type of plant, and the season. We'd recommend deadheading to encourage new growth, removing dead leaves from stems, and feed your perennials throughout the year.
To keep your bedding plants looking their best, be sure to water your flowers regularly, we'd suggest once a day during particularly hot or dry weather. You can also deadhead any flowers to preserve your plants' energy and produce new flowers!

Yes! Hardy plants can be grown in pots and containers, as well as beds and borders. Be sure you've got enough room in whichever container you're growing in for your plant to truly thrive.
To keep your bedding plants looking their best, be sure to water your flowers regularly, we'd suggest once a day during particularly hot or dry weather. You can also deadhead any flowers to preserve your plants' energy and produce new flowers!

Some of our favourites available in-store now

Hydrangea

Recognisable from their large blooms and vibrant colour, these shrubs bring long-lasting beauty to gardens.

Lupin

Found in a late spring garden, lupins add elegant colour, height, and structure to beds and borders.

Lavender

Lavender is a familiar favourite hardy plant, not just providing a delicate lilac colour to the garden, but also a relaxing aroma.

Scabious

Perfect for pollinators, scabious attract bees and butterflies with their 'pin cushion' like blooms.

Acer

Acers, or Japanese maples, are bright and bold, with leaves that are green in spring and summer but transform to brilliant shades of red and orange in autumn.

Hosta

Ideal for shadier areas of the garden, hostas have large, waxy leaves, and in summer boast flowers in shades of white through to violet.

Hebe

These evergreen shrubs have year round appeal and produce flowers in shades of purple, pink and white during summer that butterflies and bees love!

Erysimum

More commonly known as perennial wallflowers, Erysimums will bloom from mid-spring and throughout summer, and are great for our pollinator friends.

Pieris

With year round interest these evergreen shrubs produce vibrant new growth in shades of red and bronze, and bell shaped spring flowers that are perfect for pollinators.

Hardy plants inspiration

Our in-store Green Team are on hand to give you ideas and advice when you visit. Or read our blogs to get you started!

The top five hardy plants to grow this year 

 Surviving cold winter temperature to perform in your garden year after year, hardy plants bloom in your garden year after year and are a must-have for any outdoor space. Here’s our top five favourite perennial plants. 

Read more