Garden design for hot weather

One of the best parts of my job as a garden designer is to visit gardens that we designed the previous year.

Most of the plants that we planted in autumn 2009 recovered from the set-back of the severe winter with one notable exception. The lovely prostrate form of Rosemary, which I like to use in garden designs to spill over edges, have all died. So we've had to replace those and hope that they will be strong enough to survive next winter.

The latest problem in gardens that we have designed recently is the exceptionally dry weather. My advice to anyone who has put in new trees or shrubs is keep them very well watered. I keep seeing wilting plants in some gardens and they may not survive. A good soaking two or three times a week is far more valuable than a sprinkling every day. And the best time to water is either early morning or late evening when it is cooler.

In Oxfordshire, most of our lawns have turned brown, however it is not necessary to water lawns (unless they are newly laid) as grass has a remarkable capacity for regeneration once the weather turns cooler. Save precious water for borders and vegetable gardens.