Published August 2026
After this summer's conditions have taken their toll and future predictions of more extreme weather patterns in the coming years, garden designer Lucy Conochie was inspired to write this practical article to help gardners future-proof their garden against drought and heat.
It’s mid-August 2026, and after two consecutive nights of gentle rain I’ve started to breathe a sigh of relief that this year’s heatwave and drought might be over. Given that I very rarely water my own garden, and almost never from the tap, it is fair to say there have been some successes and some failures. I’m sure I’m not the only garden lover who has been pondering the best ways to make my garden more resilient to the effects of climate change, and it’s clear we will have to adapt if our gardens are going to thrive. The inherent complexity and variation of our UK gardens means that they are often a haven for wildlife, so it is vital we do what we can to future-proof them. Here are some ways we can prepare for what 2027 might bring.
Trees, trees, and more trees
As the saying goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now.” Very true, but you’d be best to do it in October/November for best chances of success. I can’t stress enough how effectively trees can cool down a garden. A mature tree can cool the air temperature down by up to 12ºc, and the effect on the surfaces of objects is even greater. Healthier and more effective than a man-made parasol, every time. Many of our native tree species are pretty resilient to heat and drought, but it can be worth looking at European cultivars and varieties as our climate changes. Our local Barcham Trees has a handy tree finder to help you choose.
Look after your soil, and leave the leaves!
Healthy soil with a good amount of organic matter will retain moisture more effectively and keep your plants going for longer. There are three easy things you can do to improve your soil:
Leave the leaves
In autumn and winter there’s no need to rake or blow leaves unless they are completely covering your lawn, or you have a very large-leafed tree nearby whose leaves are smoothing your plants. Leaf litter is like gold dust to biodiversity and soil health.
Chop and Drop
When you prune or clip plants, let the clippings fall to the ground and add to the organic content of your borders. You can chop them up a bit smaller first if you prefer a neater look!
Compost
Add compost or mulch to your garden in early spring to set your plants up for the coming summer. Ideally this will be home-made using garden cuttings and kitchen scraps, but a locally-sourced organic mulch will also do fine.
Be wise with water
We should all be collecting water in times of plenty, and when it comes to water butts, more is more. Be judicious when choosing which plants need watering, focussing only on those showing visible signs of stress and water directly at the roots rather than all over the leaves. In the worst of times when the water butt is empty, I have been known to siphon bathwater into the garden at night using an old hose, and I usually focus my efforts on saving trees, rather than worrying about perennials.
Plant with caution
For areas in full sun, it would be mad not to make an active choice towards drought-resistant plant species. Beth Chatto’s book The Gravel Garden is still one of the best references you can find, and is used by every garden designer I know. What can be confusing for the layperson is that commercial garden centres in summer are packed full with fleshy, mollycoddled, but very tempting plants that have no hope of surviving the summer. Added to this, they are often drenched in pesticides which when introduced to your garden are only going to make matters worse for wildlife. So what’s the alternative?
If your budget allows, appoint a local garden designer or gardener with access to good wholesale suppliers, and the knowledge and expertise to help you plan what plants you want to see in your garden next summer, and time the planting with the seasons.
If you’re on a smaller budget, try planting perennials from seed in a mix made from your own soil – you will soon find out which plants like it, and which don’t!
Plant swaps and propagating from neighbours is also a great way of bringing plants into your garden that are already proven to work well. Ask around and see which species have been stalwart survivors and add them to your list for next year.
What about my lawn?
I hate to break it to you, but the era of having a green lawn throughout summer is over! Try not to mow it too short in late spring, and be safe in the knowledge it’s likely to recover after some proper rain.
However, to make it a lot more interesting, why not introduce some native meadow wildflowers to bring it to life in summer. Keep it long, mow a path through the middle and watch the insects come.
Or you could try something completely different and create a beautiful gravel garden filled with grasses, drought tolerant plants and culinary herbs. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?
To find out more about Lucy and her work visit her website here.