We all have issues with our summer gardens.

Many gardeners, whether photographers, writers, or both, are accused by others of creating unrealistically stunning images.

We do. I’ve been in difficult situations because the whole plant looks so dirty.

The summer of this year saw temperatures that broke all records. They exceeded 40C/104F. This was the first instance of this happening in the UK. A drought almost as severe was also experienced in the UK.

Gardeners and garden lovers have never been so miserable. One person I know is so depressed about his garden he won’t even talk about it.

Here are some of our problems and what to do about them.

The most common summer garden problem is the lawn.

This summer, we’ve seen an unprecedented drought. South East England would only have a lush, green lawn with sprinklers watering day and night.

Hosepipes are no longer allowed. Most people agree that watering the lawn wastes time and water. It will bounce back after it rains if you let it go brown.

It’s great to know that lawns grow less in times of drought. You will see some whiskery weeds.

Overmowing grass can stress it out. Reduce your mowing frequency, and set your mower to a higher setting.

It is not necessary to fertilize a lawn in a drought. It’s already stressed. Relax and enjoy a cool beverage instead!

Find out how to maintain a lawn that could be better.

Do not try to remove dead plants.

After returning from vacation, a friend discovered three of her hydrangeas dead. She told her friend to remove all the dead leaves and twigs before waiting to see if they recovered.

Harry Baldwin, Borde Hills Garden’s Head of Horticulture, advised me not to cut down any dying or dead plants. When in doubt, he said, “don’t do anything .”

Winter damage is not something new to me. Lucy Adams, Doddington Place Gardens’ head gardener, and my interviewee gave me her advice on winter damage to shrubs. She recommended waiting to prune the plant until it is average pruning time. The shrub suffered severe frost damage and has recovered.

According to this theory, plants grow faster if their size is reduced. Pruning helps them to recover their health. If they struggle to survive, stimulating growth may cause additional stress.

He did tell me to water them. You’d be surprised how quickly some plants will recover. Read more about Harry’s tips for saving dying plants in a heatwave.

Harry said that deciduous trees could also sleep in summer if their leaves are lost during the winter. Even though their leaves appear to be dead and have fallen off, they often grow back.

An evergreen that is dead will probably remain dead.

Do not plant to fill in holes.

The most frustrating problem in summer gardens is when plants leave a gap at their border.

Replanting with new plants is best done in the spring and autumn. Planting is best done in the spring and fall.

In hot and dry summers, plants will need assistance to establish themselves.

Buy new plants to fill in any gaps. Could you keep them in the pots that you bought? Replant them in a larger pool. Place the banks along the border to fill the hole. The foliage will cover the pot.

Plant the soil when the temperatures are milder in the fall.

Wildlife should have access to water.

Our summer garden may need help. Wildlife can be put in danger.

It is vital to have water. Keep water bowls and birdbaths topped up on hot days.

You can remove dead leaves depending on the location and contents.

The automatic removal of dead leaves is less common. Decomposing leaves provide nutrients to the soil. You can also use dead leaves to mulch a border.

Trees shed their leaves in heat waves, so an early fall of leaves could be a problem for your summer garden.

The leaves of some plants, like the Magnolia grandiflora, can be thick and leathery. These leaves are difficult to decompose and can rob grass and small plants of sunlight. They are swept and placed in a compost pile.