Drought Tolerant Hedging

Best Hedge Plants for Drought Tolerance & Dry Gardens

Remember that all of these plants are only drought tolerant when they are well established. They need time to develop strong, deep roots, which will take one or two growing seasons.
Like any other new plant, you must water them well in warm, dry weather for their first couple of years.

Best Evergreen Hedge Plants for Dry Locations

• Yew - The King of Hedges
• Green Privet - The most reliable, easy-going, reasonably vigorous evergreen hedge
• Holly - Prickles and a dark, brooding presence, unless you use a variegated variety, which can be electrifying
• Laurels 
• Holm Oak - Its native range is North Africa and the Mediterranean, so dry soils are no problem, however it's not recommended for the colder areas of Eastern & inland Scotland
• Pyracantha - The thorniest option, great bright berries for later season interest
• Orange Cotoneaster and Cotoneaster simonsii
• Evergreen Berberis such as darwinii and julianae do well even in dry shade
• Evergreen Euonymus - Tall Japanese Spindle varieties such as Bravo and Ovatus Aureus have brightly coloured foliage
• Shrub Honeysuckle: Lonicera nitida - It's the most common hedge plant for car parks for a reason! It's not as pretty as the plants above but still a rugged choice for out of sight places
• Mahonia - Another car park staple, this large shrub is not suitable for a clipped hedge but still makes a dense thicket. Its leaves look best in sheltered areas, strong winds tend to damage them.
• Box - Slow growing but very shade & drought tolerant, as long as there is good air flow to decrease humidity

Special Mention:

• Lavender & Perovskia are too short to be barrier hedges, but they look wonderful planted in rows

Is Gorse a Good Choice for My Garden?

• Gorse, Ulex europaeus, is a very drought tolerant plant, however it's not ideal for garden use.
• It spreads aggressively via seed
• It does not look as nice as other options
• Still, its dense, prickly mass and long flowering season are great for preserving dunes and supporting wildlife

Best Deciduous Hedge Plants for Dry Locations

• Beech - Requires full sun and loves dry conditions
• Hawthorn - The toughest country hedge plant all-round, it tackles dry soil better than Blackthorn or Hazel. Mix with Tamarisk on the coast for a beautiful combo. 
• Wild Ramanas roses come in white and pink-red; the more ornamental purple variety Roseraie De L'Hay is recommended for a front garden hedge
• Elaeagnus - Oleaster - Thorny, with lovely grey-green leaves. 
• Deciduous berberis - green, or purple 
• Elderflower, Sambucus nigra, especially its gold or purple leaf varieties
• Pink Snowberry - Symphoricarpos chenaultii is shade-tolerant and grows in almost any soil

Special Mention:

• Wallspray Cotoneaster is too short to make a proper hedge, but is a great shrub for planting in corners against walls & fences

Coastal Plants are Drought Tolerant

Soil beside the sea tends to be dry: sandy, rocky and poorly fertile.
It's a safe bet that coastal hedge plants will do well on dry soil in general.