This is the type of summer that really tests the hardiness of perennial flowers and shrubs (and gardeners). I will water my vegetables during dry spells, but my ornamental plants and lawn are on their own.
I've been focusing on drought tolerant flowers for several years now. The idea of water wise gardening, or xeriscaping, came out of Colorado in the 1980s. It's based on 7 principles for choosing plants and siting gardens so that they not only survive periods of drought without supplemental water, but also thrive in other weather conditions. It's not guaranteed, but it sure is better than watching your garden turn brown.
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Photo: © Marie Iannotti
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Handling draught is not really a worry given the weather this summer in the UK. How do you cope with too much water?!
Frank, that’s always a tough one. I think I’ve known more people who lost plants due to sudden flooding and rotted roots than to short periods of drought. There’s not much you can do if the soil stays wet, other than pot up plants and move them somewhere dry – and that is rarely practical.
If anyone has any suggestions, I’d be just as happy as Frank, to hear them.