Hardiness zones change as the world gets hotter. Trees are our main tool to combat this climate change, and yet they aren’t adapting quickly enough to fight these changes. The right plant at the right place has never been as vital to the success of the future of trees. Thankfully efforts from breeders across the globe have resulted in just that: trees ready to take on whatever is put at them. One of those trees is Acer campestre Street Pillar. This impressively strong Acer has the ability to endure the most extreme circumstances such as partial paving, air pollution and salt. Making it a true urban superhero that isn’t just very suitable for urban planting but will actually improve the conditions too. 

If this trend of warmer summers continues, it’s likely that our gardens and new cultivars will have to adjust to this change. Adaptions will be made in landscapes, and the expectations of new cultivars will focus more and more on their ability to survive extreme drought and heat. In 2023, we can already see a pull from the market regarding climate-proof and water-saving varieties. 

Enter the Mangave, Delosperma and Agapanthus. Breeds originate from hot and dry climates and have been specifically selected for both their looks and their strength. In 2023, we’ve been able to welcome the re-blooming, revolutionary-coloured Agapanthus Black Jack, the stunning, strong Mangave Bad Hair Day and Praying Hands and the Delosperma Ocean Sunset series that boasts the biggest flowers in Delosperma so far.

Other climate-proof and water-saving varieties can be found in the Euphorbia, Teucrium and Lavandula. The remarkably strong, drought- and heat-tolerant and water-wise Euphorbia Miner’s Merlot took the market by storm with its intense colours and fast growth rate. In 2023 Teucrium Indyho was a welcome addition to the assortment being extremely easy to grow, heat-resistant and not susceptible to diseases. As cherry on the pie it has very low water needs, making it right on-trend with the growing need for water-saving varieties. Last but not least Lavandula Sensational remains the most popular Lavandula for both its incredibly large flowers and tolerance of hot, drought conditions.