Extreme weather conditions.

The prolonged dry weather has made 2026 one of the most challenging growing seasons for UK hardy nursery stock (HNS) growers. Most nurseries are still producing good-quality plants, but it is taking much more effort and significantly increasing costs. 

The main ways growers are coping include:

Heavy investment in irrigation. Many nurseries have installed drip irrigation, automated watering systems, and water storage reservoirs. Those with reservoirs or licensed abstraction are in a much stronger position than those relying on mains water. 
Prioritising valuable crops. If water supplies become limited, growers concentrate on newly potted plants and high-value specimen shrubs first, while established field-grown plants are allowed to fend for themselves where possible.
Reducing water loss. Shade netting, mulches, wider pot spacing, and watering during the coolest parts of the day all help reduce evaporation.
Changing production methods. Some growers are potting into larger containers that retain moisture longer, reducing nitrogen fertiliser to avoid soft growth, and selecting growing media that hold water more effectively. 
Growing more climate-resilient plants. Demand for drought-tolerant genera such as Cistus, Ceanothus, Griselinia, Pittosporum, Lavandula, Phormium and Mediterranean shrubs has increased, while water-hungry plants have become harder to sell during hot spells. 

There are also significant business pressures:

Watering costs have risen sharply because of increased electricity, labour and pumping requirements.
Plants often need to be held back from sale until they recover from heat stress, reducing turnover.
Customers are sometimes reluctant to buy plants during droughts, fearing they will struggle to establish, which can leave nurseries with excess stock despite healthy plants. 

For nurseries like ours that specialise in coastal and hardy shrubs, there is one positive trend. Plants already adapted to exposed, dry conditions are attracting much more interest. Species such as Griselinia, Escallonia, Olearia, Hebe, Cistus, Ceanothus and many ornamental grasses are performing well in gardens despite the weather, making them easier to market as gardeners look for plants suited to a warmer, drier climate. Community discussions among gardeners show a growing preference for these resilient plants. 

This shift may represent a long-term opportunity for specialist nurseries like Coastal Hedging that can offer plants proven to thrive in dry, exposed conditions, rather than simply a short-term response to this year’s drought.