If you're planning a long holiday or simply can't be bothered with high-maintenance plants, fear not - experts have revealed five flowers that don't require much watering. And no, they're not all cacti.

Despite the UK's reputation for grey, drizzly weather, we do experience dry spells during the summer. This can be disastrous for certain plants that depend on moist soil and regular hydration. If left to dry out for too long, they can shrivel up, lose their lustre and in some cases, wilt entirely.

Luckily, not all plants are so thirsty in the garden. Many, like succulents, hail from hot, arid climates and have evolved to need little water.

Some common adaptations to drought include thick, waxy skins, which help plants conserve water, as well as fleshy stems and leaves that store water, reports the Mirror. 

So, which flowers should you consider if you don't want to be tied to the watering can?

A gardening expert from Netmums has shared five flowers you could plant:

Blanket Flower

These flowers, with their vibrant red buds and yellow-tipped petals, look like daisies dressed for a carnival. Native to the Americas, blanket flowers thrive in warm temperatures and full sun.

Once they've taken root, they need very little watering. In extremely hot or dry conditions, they may need watering once or twice a week.

Summer Snapdragon

These vertical purple flowers are found from Mexico to Argentina. Even more enticing, they have a sweet, grape-like fragrance which will flood your garden.

Summer snapdragons enjoy full sunlight, ideally six to eight hours a day. In times of absolutely no rainfall, they need about one inch of water per week.

Lantana

Lantanas produce delicate little orange and yellow flowers once they begin to bloom.

Despite being highly drought tolerant, it is still recommended to water them once a week, especially when they are still growing.

Globe Amaranth

These flowers look just like mini globes and come in shades of pink, white and deep purple. According to Netmums, they're also a "low-maintenance hero".

This is in large part thanks to how drought tolerant they are. Even in periods of extreme dryness, they only need watering about once a week.

Ornamental Purslane

If you love having bright colours in your garden, then the ornamental purslane – with its crayon-box of pink, yellow and orange blooms – is perfect.

Even better it requires very little maintenance.

Netmums writes: "With its succulent leaves and bright, showy blooms, this plant loves sun and hates overwatering - perfect for kids who think "watering the plants" means flooding them.