Can you please suggest some ways to protect my garden from drought? This year’s heatwaves have been hard on my plants, and I’d like to do what I can to help them.
Síle M, Glasnevin, Dublin
Unfortunately, weather extremes including periods of drought and extreme heat are expected to become increasingly common as a result of climate change, creating challenging growing conditions for many of our most loved garden plants.
Faced with a spell of extremely hot, dry weather such as that experienced earlier this month, most species have coping mechanisms that help them to marshal precious resources and minimise damage by reducing the rate of transpiration and going into survival mode. In the worst-case scenario, this can mean the loss of flowers, discolouration or loss of some leaves, or even dieback of stems, as plants direct their energy towards staying alive rather than actively thriving. But they will usually slowly recover once conditions return to normal.
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The good news is that you can also do a lot to help them. Lawns, for example, are best left uncut, or failing that, only very lightly cut during a heatwave or drought. Not only will this help protect the sward itself, but it also acts as a precious cooling blanket for the soil, protecting the vulnerable root systems of nearby plants as well as the many different beneficial mini-beasts and micro-organisms necessary for soil health. For this reason, mulching lawnmowers are greatly preferable to more traditional models with grass boxes.
Cultivating a protective leafy canopy in the shape of mature trees and shrubs will also do a lot to reduce the effects of extreme temperatures, drying winds and periods of drought by cooling the atmosphere and providing valuable shade and shelter for more vulnerable plants as well as garden wildlife.
Generous organic mulches of lawn clippings, seaweed, well-rotted manure, leaf mould and home-made compost, applied around the base of plants in spring when soil moisture levels are still high, will also really help to keep root systems cool and lock in water. For the same reason, it’s a good idea to plant densely and use plenty of ground cover, prioritising deep-rooted hardy perennials over more vulnerable, demanding, short-lived annual species.
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Consider also the proportion of hard impermeable surfaces in your garden, such as tarmac, concrete and traditional paving – all of which can uncomfortably amplify the effects of high temperatures as well as reduce the amount of water in the soil available for plants’ thirsty root systems. Where possible, these are best minimised and/or replaced with permeable surfaces such as ornamental pebble and modern permeable types of paving, ideally made from recycled materials. Walls can be clad with ornamental climbers.
A garden pool, pond or even just a small trickling water feature will also help to cool and refresh the environment while simultaneously supporting wildlife – a win-win situation for everyone concerned.
