Expert advice Gardening in a heatwave

HANNAH STEPHENSON gets experts' tips on watering, shade and what to do - or not do - about your lawn

- HANNAH STEPHENSON

WITH the UK experiencing a couple of heatwaves already this summer, how can gardeners minimise the damage caused by scorching temperatures?

"It's about risk management," says Nick Turrell, RHS horticultural advisor. "No one's going to suddenly change all their plants, getting plants with silver leaves etc.

"Some plants are more susceptible than others, and I would say the top five are hydrangea, which likes slightly cooler temperatures and plenty of water, Japanese maples, which have thin leaves and lose moisture, fuchsia, astilbes and roses, which are hungry and thirsty. They catch gardeners out."

Plants likely to cope better include lavender, rosemary, sedum and other succulents, he says.

But what else can we do?

1. WATER WISELY

"Water in the morning because that's when the plants are going to be needing it during the day," Nick Turrell advises.

"Don't spray the leaves or water on the top of the leaves, get it underneath to the roots and use a watering can, not a hose, because if you've a hose, you're more likely to liberally spray it around, which means you get a sprinkling on the surface which just evaporates. Get the nozzle of the watering can right in at the roots."

Melissa Quinney at Cabin Master advises: "During hosepipe bans or dry spells, greywater (from baths or washing up, provided it's free from harsh chemicals) can be reused to water ornamental plants."

"It's best to water less frequently but more thoroughly, soaking the rootball properly," suggests Charles Carr, head of wholesale nurseries at Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres.

Water plants in the area where the roots are, suggests Nick Hamilton, son of the late Gardeners' World icon Geoff Hamilton and owner of Barnsdale Gardens in Rutland.