Drought-tolerant sun roses
WE are all becoming more aware of the fact that, in many areas, our summers are becoming drier and we need to conserve water. Drought-tolerant plants are a big part of the gardener’s approach to this problem and perhaps the most useful of all drought-tolerant shrubs are the cistus, also called sun roses.
Like wild roses, the flowers of sun roses have five colourful petals surrounding a golden centre. But sun roses are evergreen, often with aromatic foliage, and are neater in growth than roses. They have no thorns and like hot, dry and well-drained conditions. They hate shade and wet soil. Only the flowers are similar. They open in early and midsummer and while each flower lasts only a day, they come in great profusion.
Mediterranean-style conditions
n general, sun roses
