Award-Winning Plants for Clay Soil
RHS Award of Garden Merit plants that also cope with heavy clay — proven performers for the trickiest soil.
perennialAlpine Primrose
Primula alpicolaHardy H6
shrubApothecary's Rose
Rosa gallicaHardy H7
perennialautumn crocus
Colchicum autumnaleHardy H5
treebay tree
Laurus nobilisHardy H4
perennialbeet
Beta vulgarisHardy H7
shrubBig-leaf Rhododendron
Rhododendron calophytumHardy H5
shrubbigleaf hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophyllaHardy H5
shrubBoxwood
Buxus sempervirensHardy H6
perennialBugle
Ajuga reptansHardy H7
perennialCalathea
Calathea makoyanaHardy H1a
perennialCast Iron Plant
Aspidistra elatiorHardy H3
shrubChenille Plant
Acalypha hispidaHardy H1b
perennialChinese peony
Paeonia lactifloraHardy H6
climberChinese wisteria
Wisteria sinensisHardy H6
treeCommon Beech
Fagus sylvaticaHardy H6
perennialCopper Iris
Iris fulvaHardy H5
perennialCowslip
Primula verisHardy H5
perennialCrocosmia
Crocosmia crocosmiifloraHardy H4
shrubdaurian rhododendron
Rhododendron dauricumHardy H6
shrubDavidson's Rhododendron
Rhododendron davidsonianumHardy H5
perennialDaylily
HemerocallisHardy H6
fernFern
Dryopteris filix-masHardy H7
treeFiddle Leaf Fig
Ficus lyrataHardy H1b
shrubFlaky Juniper
Juniperus squamataHardy H7
shrubFortune's Rhododendron
Rhododendron fortuneiHardy H5
biennialfoxglove
Digitalis purpureaHardy H7
shrubFragrant snowball
Viburnum × carlcephalumHardy H6
shrubFulvous Rhododendron
Rhododendron fulvumHardy H5
shrubGreat White Rhododendron
Rhododendron decorumHardy H6
shrubGuelder Rose
Viburnum opulusHardy H6
shrubHeather
Calluna vulgarisHardy H7
shrubholly
Ilex aquifoliumHardy H6
climberhoneysuckle
Lonicera periclymenumHardy H6
treeHornbeam
Carpinus betulusHardy H7
shrubJapanese Barberry
Berberis thunbergiiHardy H7
shrubJapanese Spiraea
Spiraea japonicaHardy H6
treeKomine Maple
Acer micranthumHardy H6
treeKorean Fir
Abies koreanaHardy H7
perenniallong-scape iris
Iris delavayiHardy H6
perennialMichaelmas daisy
Symphyotrichum novi-belgiiHardy H6
climberMonstera
Monstera deliciosaHardy H1b
shrubNakahara's Rhododendron
Rhododendron nakaharaeHardy H5
shrubNinebark
Physocarpus opulifoliusHardy H7
treeNordmann Fir
Abies nordmannianaHardy H7
shrubNotable Rhododendron
Rhododendron insigneHardy H6
treeoaks
QuercusHardy H7
treeOchre Rhododendron
Rhododendron ochraceumHardy H5
shrubPanicle Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculataHardy H5
treePaperbark Maple
Acer griseumHardy H5
perennialPlantain lily
HostaHardy H7
climberPothos
Epipremnum aureumHardy H1b
shrubRed Currant
Ribes rubrumHardy H6
shrubRound-leaved Rhododendron
Rhododendron orbiculareHardy H5
perennialRudbeckia
Rudbeckia fulgidaHardy H6
shrubSmooth Azalea
Rhododendron arborescensHardy H6
bulbSnowdrop
Galanthus nivalisHardy H5
shrubSnowy Rhododendron
Rhododendron niveumHardy H5
perennialStinking Iris
Iris foetidissimaHardy H6
annualSunflower
Helianthus annuusHardy H4
climbersweet pea
Lathyrus odoratusHardy H3
shrubWeigela
Weigela floridaHardy H6
perennialWood Anemone
Anemone nemorosaHardy H5
perennialWoodrush
Luzula sylvaticaHardy H7
perennialYarrow
Achillea millefoliumHardy H7
perennialYellow Crocus Iris
Iris croceaHardy H6
perennial