August is when a garden shows whether the plan was generous enough. The best borders are not waiting for a second spring; they are holding their own rhythm.
Leave room for shadows. A tree, a hedge or even a tall drift of grasses can make the difference between a border that dries out and one that keeps its colour. Shade is not an absence of planting; it is a different palette.
We like to combine plants that do different jobs: a deep-rooted perennial for structure, a grass for movement, seed heads for autumn and groundcover to keep the soil cool. The result looks relaxed, but it is doing a lot of work.
Watering is most useful when it helps plants establish. After that, the right plant in the right place is the most resilient irrigation system we know.