After a dry summer, Furzey welcomes the rain

1 September 2026

For the Garden Team, it has brought a real sense of relief. After weeks of careful watering, watching the soil dry out and seeing some plants struggle through the heat, there was something very cheering about hearing rain return to the garden. It is one of those moments gardeners quietly wait for, especially after a summer that has asked so much of the landscape.

This September, the change in season feels a little different. Summer has not quite left us, but autumn is beginning to make itself known. The days can still feel warm, yet the evenings are cooler, the light is softer and small signs of change are appearing across the garden.

Some of that change is seasonal. Some of it is a response to stress.

Why some trees look autumnal early

After prolonged dry weather, some trees may already be showing signs of autumn, with leaves turning yellow or brown and falling earlier than we would normally expect. For some visitors, it may look as though autumn has arrived a month early.

This is sometimes called ‘false autumn’, and it has become a more familiar sight in recent years.

For a deciduous tree, losing leaves is usually part of a carefully timed seasonal process. As days shorten and temperatures fall, trees begin to break down chlorophyll, the green pigment that helps leaves photosynthesise. As the green fades, other colours become visible, revealing the yellows, oranges and reds we associate with autumn.

Drought can trigger a different kind of response.

When soil becomes very dry, a tree can struggle to take up enough water to replace what is being lost through its leaves. Because leaves are where much of that water escapes into the atmosphere, shedding some of them can be a survival strategy. By reducing its leaf area, the tree reduces water loss and protects the resources it needs to keep its branches, trunk and roots alive.

So, if your garden looks more autumnal than expected this September, try not to panic. Early leaf fall does not always mean a tree is dying. Often, it is a sign that the tree has been working hard to cope with the summer it has just been through.

Nature is smart. Sometimes, it protects itself by letting go.

Disanthus Cercidifolius turning deep red

Looking after the soil after drought

After such a dry summer, some of the most important work in the garden is happening beneath our feet.

Soil that has dried out for a long period can become hard and difficult to re-wet, especially in certain conditions. When rain does arrive, it may not soak in as easily as we would like. That means caring for the soil is just as important as caring for the plants we can see above ground.

One of the simplest ways to help is by adding organic mulch. There can be a misconception that mulch stops rain from reaching the soil, but in healthy, well-structured soil, organic mulch is not an impermeable blanket. Rain can pass through it, while the mulch helps protect the soil surface from drying out again too quickly.

Over time, adding organic matter can help improve soil structure, support moisture retention and give future rainfall a better chance of reaching plant roots.

Heleniums with their common name – Sneezeweed!

A garden beginning to recover

The rain has not undone the effects of a dry summer overnight, but it has helped the garden take a breath.

At Furzey, there is still plenty to enjoy this month. The boldness of summer remains in places, with asters, heleniums and helianthus bringing rich colour to the borders, while hydrangeas offer softer tones as their flowers begin to mature.

September is also the beginning of one of Furzey’s most beautiful seasonal shifts. Our collections of Acer, Liquidambar and Sorbus will become increasingly special as autumn develops, but this month offers the chance to see the first hints of that transformation.

The garden is changing, as it always does. This year, those changes tell a story not only of the season moving on, but of resilience too.

After the dry weather, the fallen leaves, the careful watering and the waiting, the rain has reminded us how quickly a garden can begin to feel refreshed again. September may be a month of letting go, but it is also a month of renewal, recovery and quiet hope for what comes next.