Any advice/tips for plant preservation in this hot weather ?

[peridito]

I'm so not an experienced gardener and a slow learner I think .

I'm sitting here thinking that we've reached the stage (SE here ) where it's not so much about watering and keeping stuff going but accepting the situation and trying to salvage what's salavageable .

If that makes sense .

Of course it'll depend on the plants but in my case for example should I cut back the buddlei and hydrangea that are wilting and needing loads of water .I dont mind sacrificing flowers if it helps the plant ,

Is cutting stuff back a generally applicable rule to help stuff in a drought ?

or to help plants even!

I'm not cutting stuff back
I'm watering stuff that looks sad but might recover
my hydrangea is dead
but basically we just have to accept that some plants will die this summer

the aquifers in the south east are still high so water poured back into the soil is not a problem

I am regularly dead heading my plants and cutting back wilting growth, so not to put stress on the plants. Mulching after a good watering does also help. I’ve moved some of my pots into a more shaded spot.

Thanks both .

JT05 yes I plan to have a move round . And think I will do a bit of snipping .
It's silly I know but I so hate to see a wilting and dying plant .But in this weather it can't be helped I think .

If you can keep some flowers going I would as there's a risk of pollinators' food dying off otherwise.

I am catching all the water I use in my kitchen sink (e.g. For washing up, hand washing, tipping away glasses of water that have got warm and no one wants to drink). Every time the basin fills, I take it out and tip it on the wiltiest looking plant. I'm on clay do this is working quite well

If you can keep some flowers going I would as there's a risk of pollinators' food dying off otherwise. of course !

I'd completely forgotten that

I'm also watering parts of my garden to keep the ground soft enough for hedgehogs to forage

I only water veg and plants in pots atm and use bath water for watering as well.

plants in the ground once established can get deep into the ground for moisture or can shut down (drop leaves) and hibernate.

can shut down (drop leaves) and hibernate.
But many will due as they do not have the reserves to shut down in the summer as well as the winter

others will die because they are short lived

many plants will never recover from critical stem wilt

My mum is a gardener. She waters her plants late at night, covers them with a light cover to keep the water in over night and then removes the cover in the morning. Non of her plants have died!!

twinkle
My garden it a tad too big to do that

I've ben watering everything except the grass, every day, for about 2 months, at around 8pm. It is taking bloody ages and I am so grateful for the downpours we've had since Friday. It has given me more of my evenings back! I haven't lost anything yet but things like my salvia and delpiniums and some agapanthus stopped flowering earlier than they would normally. The hydrangeas are actually looking ok.