RHS Unveils Emergency Strategy to Safeguard Gardens Against Drought
The Royal Horticultural Society has revealed comprehensive emergency plans designed to protect its celebrated public gardens from the escalating threat of severe water shortages. The environmental charity, which manages five renowned horticultural sites across England, announced on Saturday a significant shift in its approach to climate adaptation.
Major Investment in Water Capture Projects
Following the severe droughts experienced last year, the RHS confirmed that water capture and management initiatives will receive unprecedented investment throughout 2026. This strategic move responds directly to the increasingly erratic weather patterns affecting the United Kingdom, with global warming continuing to drive volatility in the global water cycle.
The charity is urging the nation's gardeners to adopt similar measures during the coming winter and spring seasons to maximise rainwater collection. Recommended practices include preparing soil through hollow tining techniques, implementing chop-and-drop methods, applying protective mulching, creating dedicated rain gardens, installing rainwater storage systems, and carefully considering plant placement.
Reviewing Water Allocation Across Five Gardens
In preparation for future drought conditions, the RHS is conducting thorough reviews of water allocation methods across its five public gardens:
- Wisley in Surrey
- Hyde Hall in Essex
- Rosemoor in Devon
- Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire
- Bridgewater in Greater Manchester
Last year witnessed the driest spring in 132 years alongside the hottest summer since records began, plunging multiple regions into drought conditions that continue to affect some areas into January.
Specific Projects and Research Initiatives
The 2026 projects will encompass several key areas:
- Expanding water storage capacity in tanks and lakes
- Installing ebb and flow benches in retail centres to reduce water consumption
- Investing in rain garden installations
- Conducting extensive research on soil health across all gardens
- Continuing to quantify individual plant and complete landscape water usage
- Exploring increased utilisation of grey-water from domestic sources
These initiatives represent a broader organisational shift toward climate adaptation, with greater emphasis on managing the growing impacts of climate change rather than solely focusing on mitigation strategies.
Expert Insight on Water Management Priorities
Tim Upson, RHS Director of Horticulture, emphasised the critical importance of water management: "Water serves as the lifeblood of any garden – essential not only for human health and wellbeing but also for the broader environment and wildlife. Like the UK's 34 million gardeners, we must adapt to the new normal by prioritising rainwater collection, storage, and management while relocating and reassessing our plant collections to ensure their future resilience."
Mr Upson explained that the charity's updated water management plan "delves into the precise details" of where final water reserves might be utilised within each garden, acknowledging this as the practical reality requiring preparation.
Monitoring and Predicting Water Usage Patterns
To better understand cultivation within its own gardens and provide informed advice to British gardeners, the RHS is systematically recording water consumption across different landscape types including trees, herbaceous perennial borders, fine turf lawns, and vegetable gardens.
The charity is applying this knowledge to predict future water usage patterns among various plant species, enabling proactive preparation for future planting schemes and water resource management as climate change accelerates.
Mr Upson added an important horticultural consideration: "There exists a delicate balance between developing plant resilience to withstand drier periods through reduced watering and the potential risk of stressing plants, making them vulnerable to health issues and reduced flowering – consequences that ultimately affect both wildlife and human enjoyment."
