While every garden responds differently depending on its soil, aspect and planting, a few themes have emerged time and again. Some are familiar themes that have proved their worth while others reflect the changing conditions many of us are experiencing more regularly.

Here are some of the lessons we've taken from this summer.

Water Deeply Rather Than Little and Often

When temperatures rise it's tempting to water every evening. In reality, frequent light watering only dampens the surface of the soil, encouraging roots to remain shallow where they are most vulnerable to heat and drought.

A thorough soak once or twice a week is usually far more beneficial, allowing the moisture to reach deeper into the soil and encouraging a stronger root system.

Where you possibly can try to water early in the morning while temperatures are still cool - it’s lovely to step outside in your pyjamas before the heat of the day begins to hit - when less of the moisture is lost through evaporation.

Never Underestimate the Value of a Good Mulch

Mulching is still one of the easiest and most effective ways to help gardens cope with prolonged dry weather.

A really generous layer of compost, well-rotted manure or bark helps retain moisture, suppress weeds and regulate soil temperature - even after periods of extreme heat mulched borders often recover more quickly once conditions improve.

It's one of those routine jobs that quietly pays dividends throughout the growing season and come winter will also help protect your plants from frost - a win all round!

Thoughtful Shade Can Make a Difference

Most plants enjoy sunshine, but prolonged periods of the kind of intense afternoon heat we’ve all had this summer can place unmanageable stress on even  the most established planting.

Creating dappled shade for vegetables or ornamental planting during the hottest part of the day can help reduce water loss without restricting healthy growth - shade netting can be a gamechanger to protect your crop and help prevent bolting in hot weather.

Equally, climbing plants growing over arches, pergolas or decorative screens often create naturally cooler areas of the garden, making them enjoyable spaces for both plants and people on a scorching day.

Support Plants Before They Need It

Hot weather followed by heavy summer rain is often when taller plants begin to struggle.

Adding plant supports early in the season allows stems to grow naturally through them, providing discreet support that is almost invisible once foliage develops.

Whether supporting herbaceous perennials, climbing plants or productive crops, planning ahead is always easier than trying to rescue plants once they've begun to lean or collapse.

Protect Ripening Fruit

Dry summers often bring increased attention from birds and other wildlife looking for moisture as well as food.

As fruit begins to ripen, protecting crops with well-designed fruit cages or netting helps ensure the harvest reaches the kitchen rather than disappearing a day before it's ready.

Keep Greenhouses Well Ventilated

Greenhouses can become unbearably hot even on days that don't feel exceptionally warm - a thermometer will often surprise you with just how hot things can get in there!

Opening doors and vents early, encouraging good air circulation and using shade where necessary all help create more stable growing conditions for tomatoes, cucumbers and other tender crops.

Gardening for a Changing Climate

Perhaps the biggest lesson this summer has offered us is that resilient gardens don't happen by chance.

Healthy soil, thoughtful planting, good support, careful watering and well-designed garden structures all help gardens cope with increasingly unpredictable weather.

None of these ideas are new, but together they create gardens that are better equipped to thrive, whatever the season brings.

It's also prompting many gardeners to think differently about the plants they choose.

Around the country we're seeing growing interest in naturalistic prairie-style planting, inspired by gardens such as the beautiful meadow landscapes at the American Museum & Gardens in Bath, where ornamental grasses and long-flowering perennials create movement, colour and resilience through the hottest months. 

Equally influential are the gravel gardens pioneered by Beth Chatto, demonstrating how carefully selected drought-tolerant plants can flourish with remarkably little intervention once established.

Mediterranean-inspired planting schemes are becoming increasingly popular too, combining lavender, rosemary, sage, thyme, euphorbia and drought-tolerant shrubs with gravel, stone and generous planting spaces to create gardens that remain attractive even during prolonged dry spells. 

These approaches don't replace the traditional English garden; instead they offer new ideas for creating beautiful, resilient planting that is better prepared for changing conditions.

As gardeners, we're always learning. Every season teaches us something new, and often it's the smallest adjustments - improving the soil, choosing plants that suit the conditions, providing support where it's needed and designing with the future in mind - that make the biggest difference. The gardens that flourish over the coming years are likely to be those that combine thoughtful design with a willingness to adapt, creating spaces that are every bit as beautiful as they are resilient.

Every season has its character, and this one has certainly kept us on our toes. We've loved the sunshine, the long evenings and the opportunity to enjoy our gardens at their very best. 

Now though, we wouldn't mind seeing the clouds roll in for a while - a proper soaking of rain, followed by a return to those warm summer days, would be just about perfect.