The Royal Horticultural Society has reported a significant shift in plant hardiness challenges across British gardens, with hydrangeas emerging as the most commonly reported plant suffering from drought and heat-related stress. Inquiry data from the RHS gardening advice service indicate that questions about heat and drought damage to hydrangeas have more than tripled since 2023, with the plant rising from seventh place in reported problems during 2023 to first place by 2025, a position it has maintained throughout 2026.
The gardening organization attributes the trend to increasingly hot and dry summer conditions that are creating unfavorable growing environments in southern regions of Britain. The RHS has confirmed that certain hydrangea varieties, particularly Hydrangea macrophylla types including mophead and lacecap cultivars, are most vulnerable in full sun and sandy soil conditions. The charity is therefore evaluating a strategic relocation of its hydrangea collection from its prominent Wisley garden in Surrey to northern locations with more temperate climates, specifically the organization’s gardens in Greater Manchester and North Yorkshire.
A five-year trial conducted at the RHS Manchester garden between 2021 and 2025 documented how hydrangeas responded to various climate stressors, including significant drought periods, record heat in 2022, and excessive rainfall in 2024. The results informed broader decisions about plant placement across the RHS estate. Beyond hydrangeas, the organization is also relocating its national collections of rhododendrons to Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire and transferring rhubarb and gooseberry collections from Wisley to the Bridgewater garden in Salford.
RHS officials note that certain plant species are adapting successfully to warmer conditions, with fig, almond, banana, and lotus plants demonstrating improved vigor at northern gardens. Leadership recommends that gardeners provide supplementary shade during extreme heat events, implement deeper watering practices, use mulch for moisture retention, and consider relocating sun-exposed hydrangeas to shadier positions during autumn months.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI