Specialist volunteer Chris Poole pumps water into a bowser at Chiswick House in west London August 18, 2026. [AFP]
At Hampton Court Palace, head gardener Graham Dillamore strode across the burnt beige grass in the spectacular formal gardens southwest of London, laid out in the 17th century.
"If we have a summer like this next year, by God, it's going to be a struggle," said Dillamore, who has spent more than 20 years tending the gardens of the Baroque and Tudor red-brick palace where King Henry VIII once caroused.
Created by master designers such as Lancelot "Capability" Brown and William Kent, the gardens of stately homes such as Hampton Court, Blenheim Palace, and Chatsworth House are among England's top visitor attractions.
But their historic style of planting and ancient trees are being hammered by climate change -- including record heatwaves and drought this summer.
Gardeners told AFP they were not embarrassed by straw-like lawns -- feeling visitors, also facing water restrictions, are understanding -- but the concern is for the long-term consequences and keeping the spirit of their gardens alive.
Mature trees that take decades to establish are drooping, and some have leaves turning brown in August in a stress reaction to excessive heat.