August 2026
August really is a weird old month in the garden. Everything starts going over all at once and needs cutting back, and this year the heat has made it even more dramatic. If you’ve walked round with us recently you’ll have seen it too, the lawns have gone brown and a few of the beds are having a proper sulk in this heat. It happens every summer to some degree, but this year it’s been a test of nerve for all of us.
We won’t pretend it’s green and lush out there at the moment, because it isn’t, and we’re desperate for rain same as everyone else. But there’s still lots of colour if you know where to look, and plenty of beautiful spots to sit and enjoy. Here’s where to point your feet if you’re visiting this month.
Where to look in our Hampshire Garden for summer colour
The cutting beds are looking lovely at the moment, cheerful and productive even while everything around them is struggling. The dahlias are doing what dahlias do best too. I know I bang on about them every August, but honestly, they earn it. They’re a joy in the borders right now and just keep giving right through to the first frosts. The Veranda beds, Mercury Border and Long Border are all holding their own too and well worth a wander.
Over in the Mercury Border, the perovskia is having its moment; all that soft silvery foliage and haze of purple-blue flowers is a reminder of why we love late summer planting. In the wedding border, the hydrangeas have gone properly blousy, big full heads that look like they belong at a celebration, which feels fitting.
Because the Oriental Garden sits so close to the river, it’s become a real oasis this month, cool and green when everywhere else is parched. The Nepeta sibirica is doing a lovely job of filling the space with soft blue too. Make sure you go and see the new Pococks rose beds if you haven’t already; a generous gift from Stewart and the team at Pococks Roses of Romsey, settling in beautifully.
Over in the Peacock Garden, the yew has just had its first haircut since going in, and it’s looking very happy in its new home.
Watch your head! Netting goes up in the Bramley Arch
If you’re wandering under the Bramley apple arch this month, mind your head. Those apples are bigger than a school kid’s, honestly, and we don’t fancy anyone getting an Isaac Newton moment on the way through. We’ll be putting netting up to catch any early fallers before they catch you. I’ll try and get some photos of just how enormous they’ve got, it’s quite something.
Pumpkins, squash and the countdown to Autumn
I’ve had pumpkins and squash tucked away under cover through this heatwave, keeping them safe while it’s been too fierce for young plants outside. Fingers crossed I’ll finally be getting them planted out soon. I have to admit, autumn and Halloween are a bit of a soft spot for me, so watching these get going always feels like the start of my favourite stretch of the gardening year. More to come on how we grow them as the season goes on.
New Arrivals
We’ve welcome five new hens this month. Nothing cheers up a hot dry August quite like new arrivals, and we can’t wait to introduce them once they’re settled in.
Why we’re leaving the grass alone
You’ll notice we’re not cutting the grass at the moment, and that’s deliberate. Mowing bone-dry grass stresses it even more, and there’s a real risk of sparks from the machinery in weather like this, so we’re not taking any chances with a wildfire. It’s not the tidy look we’d normally want, but grass is remarkably resilient. As soon as we get some proper rain, it will green back up, and we’d rather wait for that than risk a summer we won’t get back.
Gardening through this heat has been a huge struggle, and we’re so grateful to the whole team for the graft they’ve put in. It might be a weird old month, but there’s still plenty going on if you know where to look. Come and find the pockets of colour for yourself, we’d love to see you.
Cat
Undergardener
@cat.kin_
