5 garden plants experts say you can bring back from the dead if they’ve gone brown and crispy this summer

When you look out at your garden, is it a brown and crispy mess? Yes? Don’t panic! While plenty of your plants may look dead and brown, they’re more resilient than you think. In fact, these are the five that may look dead, but will bounce back with a little TLC.

If this summer’s heatwaves have ravaged your garden and your lawn, it’s understandable that you have assumed the sun’s rays have simply killed off your precious plants, and you might be a little at a loss as to what August garden jobs to start on. After all, much of this country has switched from luscious green scenery to something much browner and patchier.

Luckily, some plants will bounce back after a heatwave (even if they don’t look in a good way). These are the ones experts say should be back to their former glory soon.

1. Hydrangeas

It’s good news for anyone whose hydrangeas have turned brown this summer due to the heat. Drooping is a hydrangea's natural defence mechanism, so as the weather gets cooler and wetter, they should perk up again.

‘Shrubs are usually best left until spring before cutting back any damaged growth. As new growth emerges, it’s easier to establish whether branches and stems are dead or just dormant, so avoid cutting them back too soon. It can be tempting to remove brown or damaged-looking branches straight away, but waiting gives the plant the best chance to recover and means you’re less likely to remove healthy wood unnecessarily,’ says Nigel Lawton, plant buyer at Dobbies.

‘The key is not to react too soon. Give the plant water and time to recover, and look for a response before deciding whether it is dead. A plant can look brown and crispy after a heatwave but still have life in the roots.’

2. Hardy geraniums

One of the main reasons you should grow geraniums is that they are incredibly easy to care for and with hotter summers on the cards, fairly resilient, too.

‘Whilst these easy-to-care-for hardy perennials are drought-tolerant once established in your garden, the repeated heatwaves experienced this year are likely to have caused too much heat stress for them and as a result you will have seen fewer flowers as they try to conserve energy and with the continuous intense heatwaves their leaves will have gone dry, brown and crispy as they simply haven’t been able to process sufficient moisture to keep them green and healthy,' explains Lucie Bradley, gardens and greenhouse expert at Easy Garden Irrigation.

‘However, you shouldn’t think that this tired, drab appearance means the plants have died. Due to their robust root systems, which are thick and chunky and often include underground rhizomes, their roots can push deep into the soil to try to find moisture and stay cool, so they will be packed full of energy once the heatwaves come to an end and rehydrate the plant and trigger new growth.

‘You can double-check that your hardy geraniums are still alive by checking that the crown is still firm, and if you scrape the surface of the stems, you will see they are still moist and green. This means that, once the heatwaves end, you can help your hardy geraniums recover by removing any of the dried-out foliage to about 5cm from the surface of the ground and then deep water regularly to keep the soil moist. Both these actions will combine to prompt the plant to start to produce new growth and possibly more flowers.’

3. Roses

Roses are a staple of any cottage garden, I’d be willing to bet, found in most UK gardens. So, if you’re worried your roses look a little worse for wear, rest assured they are tougher than you think.

‘Roses can drop their buds during a heatwave to save energy, and they may wilt in high temperatures, but they can recover to produce another display of flowers in autumn,’ explains Richard Barker, horticultural expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture.

‘To check if roses are still alive, scrape the outer layer of bark from the stem to see if the tissue underneath remains green and plump. If the tissue is brown, dry or brittle, continue checking down the entire length of the stem for green tissue before deciding that it is dead. To help roses recover from heat stress, water them deeply around the base to soak the roots well. Allow the plant two weeks to recover before attempting to prune any dead wood, and adding a layer of mulch around the base will help to keep roots cool.

4. Hostas

As hostas are shade-loving plants, it’s easy to assume yours may not have survived the continuous hot weather this summer. And while your hostas' leaves may look scorched and crispy, this doesn’t mean they have died.

‘Whilst their leaves look worn out and dead you will usually find that hostas will bounce back once the heatwaves come to an end, simply due to their thick root systems with rhizomes which will have stayed cooler in the soil and although they don’t have tap toots, because their roots will be at least 30cm from the surface of the ground and extremely wide spread, they will be able to absorb any available moisture and store this so they can produce new shoots,’ says Lucie.

‘You can easily check that your hostas are still alive by checking the crown by carefully removing some of the topsoil to see if the crown is hard and tight - you can also check the stems at the base of the plant by nicking the surface to check its still green.

‘To help your hostas recover, you should trim away all the brown, dried-up leaves, as these won’t recover and simply make the plants more susceptible to pest damage. Once that is done, it’s a case of deep watering - keeping the ground moist but not waterlogged - so the roots can soak up the moisture and feed it back to produce new foliage.

5. Lavender

Given that lavender is one of the best Mediterranean plants, it’s a little unsurprising that they are adept at bouncing back after a heatwave, too.

‘Lavender can turn brown and dry during high heat, but once the weather cools it will regrow fresh green shoots. To check if the plant is still alive after a heatwave, inspect the stems at the base of the plant are flexible. If they bend without breaking, the plant is still alive,’ says Richard.

‘However, if the stems instantly snap and appear to be hollow or brown, this indicates that this part of the plant is dead. It is best to test multiple sections of the plant, as some parts may have survived.

‘To help the plant bounce back, cut away dead stems to just above any green nodes or tissue. If the soil is dry, you should deeply water the plant, but allow it to completely dry out between waterings. You should not overwater heat-stressed plants, as their damaged roots can easily develop root rot. You should also not give the plant fertiliser while it is recovering from heat stress.’

Help your garden bounce back

I hope this list reassures you that many of your plants are tougher than you think. You garden may be brown and cripsy now, but it can bounce back.