We need to change the way we think about our gardens. The climatic changes we are witnessing are not going away. Increasingly unpredictable winters, followed by hotter, drier summers and more frequent periods of extreme heat, demand a fundamental rethink of how we design, build and care for our gardens. The answer is a climate-ready garden: one that stays beautiful and resilient whatever the seasons bring.
We may not yet be experiencing the sustained temperatures seen in Greece or southern Spain, but the UK is undoubtedly getting hotter. The question is no longer whether our gardens need to adapt to become climate-ready gardens, but how quickly we are prepared to change.
For many of us, the garden has become an important extension of the home: somewhere to entertain, relax and escape. Protecting that investment – and the plants and landscapes that make it special – means designing climate-ready gardens that are more resilient from the outset.
Right plant, right place
This begins with planting. A climate-ready garden starts with trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses that are suited not only to the garden’s soil and aspect, but also to longer periods of heat and reduced rainfall. We must also use plants intelligently to create shade, shelter the ground and establish cooler microclimates within the garden.
The principle is not new. Beth Chatto famously demonstrated the importance of putting the right plant in the right place. Her Gravel Garden in Essex was created on dry, free-draining ground and planted with species naturally adapted to those conditions.
The gravel was not simply decorative. Used as a mulch, it helped suppress weeds, reduce evaporation and retain precious moisture in the soil. Light-coloured gravel can also reflect sunlight and help keep the roots beneath it cooler. The resulting garden proved that drought-tolerant planting can be both practical and exceptionally beautiful.
The UK is undoubtedly getting hotter. The question is no longer whether our gardens need to adapt, but how quickly we are prepared to change.
Soil and mulching
Soil preparation is equally important in a climate-ready garden. Organic matter can help lighter soils retain moisture, while improving the structure of heavier ground. Applying an appropriate mulch – whether composted material, bark or gravel – protects bare soil from direct sun and reduces moisture loss. The objective is to capture winter rainfall, hold it within the soil and make it available to plants when they need it.
Smarter irrigation
Water will nevertheless remain an important part of maintaining a healthy garden, particularly while new planting becomes established. The answer is not indiscriminate watering, but more accurate and efficient irrigation.
Traditional sprinklers and open-ended hoses can lose a considerable proportion of their water through evaporation, spray drift and surface run-off. A properly designed drip or leaky-pipe system places water slowly and directly into the root zone. Depending on what it replaces and how it is managed, this can use approximately 30–50 per cent less water than conventional hose watering.
Zoning is particularly important. Trees, hedges, borders, lawns and containers all have different requirements and should not necessarily be watered together. A modern control system can divide the garden into separate areas, adjust watering periods and respond to changes in the weather. Rain and soil-moisture sensors can make the system more intelligent still.
Rainwater harvesting
Rainwater harvesting should also form part of the discussion. Water butts are useful for smaller gardens, while larger underground storage tanks can collect substantial quantities from house, garage and outbuilding roofs. Depending on the garden and storage capacity, harvested rainwater can either supply the irrigation system or reduce its reliance on mains water.
This thinking is not new to the Gardenproud team. Our experience in Australia has shown us a gardening culture in which water conservation, soil protection and climate-conscious planting have influenced landscape design for decades. Our Construction Director, George, spent three years working in Sydney, including time with Wyer & Co, one of the city’s leading landscape design practices. He returned with a deep understanding of irrigation design and the importance of creating a system around the particular conditions and requirements of each garden.
When it comes to irrigation, George is a mine of information. He can create a tailored solution for virtually every garden and budget, from a straightforward zoned installation to a more sophisticated system incorporating rainwater harvesting, sensors and app-based control.
This summer has brought the vulnerability of our gardens – and the cost of getting things wrong – vividly into our clients’ minds. We now discuss climate resilience on almost every new project, and the majority of the gardens we are currently constructing include irrigation from the outset.
what does it cost?
Probably less than many people imagine.
Small garden, zoned and app controlled : from approximately £4,500
Larger or more complex garden : £10,000 – £15,000
That should be considered in relation to the overall investment in plants, soil improvement, planting and labour. An irrigation system cannot guarantee that no plant will ever fail, but it can substantially reduce establishment losses, protect plant health and remove much of the uncertainty associated with prolonged hot weather.
Watering during hosepipe restrictions
Efficient irrigation may also remain usable during certain hosepipe restrictions. Under South East Water’s present rules, fixed drip or trickle systems are permitted where they incorporate a pressure-reducing valve and timer and deliver water directly onto or beneath the soil without spray, mist or surface run-off. The precise conditions should always be checked with the relevant water supplier.
South East Water introduced restrictions in Kent and Sussex on 18 July 2025. These were not lifted until 5 February 2026. New restrictions came into force in Kent on 3 July 2026, illustrating how quickly exceptional summer weather is becoming a recurring challenge rather than an occasional event.
designing a climate-ready garden
This is not about turning the traditional English garden into a desert landscape. It is about designing intelligently so that our gardens remain beautiful, sustainable and enjoyable in the climate we now have – and the one that lies ahead.
Irrigation, however, is only one part of the answer. The truly climate-ready garden combines appropriate planting, healthy soil, effective mulching, shade, rainwater collection and carefully controlled watering.