5 snail-proof plants you must grow now!
To help your summer garden thrive
We’ve reached that familiar point in the gardening calendar where you pop outside to admire your lovingly nurtured seedlings… only to find half of them have been chewed to ribbons by a gang of slimy night-time marauders…! Yes, slug and snail season is upon us.
While the instinct might be to pluck snails off your petunias in a fit of rage, hold fire! Yanking them off their chosen snack can actually kill them by tearing their bodies from their shells (grim), and pouring salt on them is as unpleasant as it sounds. Chemical controls can harm more than just your gastropod enemies, often affecting pets, wildlife and soil health.
So what’s the better solution? Plant things they don’t like. Nature’s softest saboteurs are surprisingly picky. There are plenty of beautiful, bee-friendly, sun-loving plants that slugs and snails steer clear of, which means your garden can look lush without becoming a salad bar for the shell-backed.
Here are five snail-proof plants to grow now, inspired by a fab campaign by Florensis, called ‘Snail Away’, spotted at the Flower Trials earlier this month!
1. Lantana
Why snails avoid it: Lantana’s coarse leaves and pungent smell make it deeply unappealing to molluscs. They won’t even give it a nibble.
Why you’ll love it: These heat-loving, long-flowering plants are a riot of colour, often producing multicoloured blooms on a single stem. Fiery reds fading into oranges, or pinks melting into yellows. Lantana is also adored by butterflies and bees, making it a pollinator's paradise.
Where to plant: Position in a sunny border or pot, ideally in well-drained soil. They thrive in heat, so perfect for a south-facing patio where slugs dare not venture.
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2. Trailing pelargoniums
Why snails avoid it: Pelargoniums have slightly fuzzy, aromatic leaves that most slugs and snails find off-putting. Bonus: they’re drought-tolerant too, so low-maintenance all round.
Why you’ll love it: Trailing pelargoniums (often mistaken for true geraniums) produce abundant flowers in vivid shades of red, pink, white and lilac, spilling over containers in that charming ‘accidentally perfect’ way.
Where to plant: Best in hanging baskets, window boxes or raised containers, where their cascading habit shines, and slugs can’t get near them.
Buy them here.
3. Fuchsia
Why snails avoid it: Fuchsias have tougher, waxier leaves and stems that aren’t on the average snail’s menu. While they might take the odd exploratory nibble, they rarely stick around.
Why you’ll love it: There’s a fuchsia for every taste, from the classic ballerina-like drooping blooms to bushy varieties with vivid bi-colour flowers. They offer months of colour and are relatively unfussy.
Where to plant: Use as a centrepiece in pots, or dot them through borders to add height and interest. They do well in semi-shaded spots where other flowers might sulk.
Buy them here.
VIP subscribers can read on to find two plants that will add a bit of colour to your summer garden, while being low maintenance and easy to grow!