Wimbledon's glorious hydrangeas under threat from extreme heatwaves as traditional bloom replaced by drought-resistant rivals

By LETTICE BROMOVSKY AT WIMBLEDON Published: 16:48, 1 July 2026 | Updated: 16:57, 1 July 2026 Wimbledon's famous floral displays could soon look very different as rising temperatures force the All England Club to rethink one of its most treasured traditions. The iconic hydrangeas that have framed the Championships for more than a century are under threat from increasingly hot, dry British summers, with horticultural experts now looking towards tougher, drought-resistant plants to safeguard the tournament's world-renowned gardens. While the All England Club insists it has no plans to abandon its signature blooms altogether, officials admit thirsty favourites including hydrangeas and petunias can no longer dominate the grounds as they once did. Instead, visitors to SW19 are expected to see increasing numbers of hardy plants such as lavender, carefully woven into Wimbledon's famous purple, green and white colour scheme as climate change reshapes the tournament's landscaping. The move comes after England recorded its hottest June on record, with provisional Met Office figures showing an average temperature of 17.1C across the month, eclipsing the previous record of 16.9C set in 2025.  The UK also experienced its second warmest June ever, fuelled by an intense late-month heatwave and a series of tropical nights when temperatures failed to fall below 20C. The changing climate has left Wimbledon's horticultural team planning not just for one-off heatwaves but for a future in which extreme summer temperatures become the norm. The iconic hydrangeas that have framed the Championships for more than a century are under threat from increasingly hot, dry British summers While the All England Club insists it has no plans to abandon its signature blooms altogether, officials admit thirsty favourites including hydrangeas and petunias can no longer dominate the grounds as they once did More than 5,000 hydrangeas currently decorate the grounds each year, helping create the unmistakable backdrop that has become almost as synonymous with Wimbledon as strawberries and cream, pristine grass courts and Centre Court's ivy-covered walls. Archive photographs show the blooms have been part of the Championships since the 1920s, making them one of the tournament's longest-standing visual traditions. But despite a sophisticated irrigation network and careful water management, the plants' huge thirst means their long-term future is now under review. Neil Stubley, Wimbledon's Head of Courts and Horticulture, admitted gardeners are increasingly turning towards plants that can withstand hotter, drier conditions. He said: 'So, what you'll see around the grounds, there'll be more sort of lavenders and those sort of things that are just more drought tolerant and they just don't need as much [water].' The shift will be gradual rather than dramatic. Rather than removing hydrangeas entirely, Wimbledon plans to relocate them into cooler, shadier areas where watering can be more carefully controlled, while introducing tougher planting schemes in the sunniest parts of the 42-acre site. Mr Stubley explained: 'Historically, we've always had hydrangeas, which are very thirsty plants, so again, as part of tradition, we don't want to get rid of them completely, so we just sort of target and make sure that the areas that we put the more thirstier plants are in the more shadier places, so it means that we can control the moisture and how much we irrigate.' The changes form part of a wider sustainability drive at the All England Club. Tournament organisers are also transitioning to peat-free compost across their hanging baskets, while plans are being developed for a climate-resilient planting project on the famous Henman Hill that will showcase species capable of thriving in warmer conditions without sacrificing the traditional English garden aesthetic. Tournament organisers are also transitioning to peat-free compost across their hanging baskets, while plans are being developed for a climate-resilient planting project on the famous Henman Hill Keeping the famous gardens in pristine condition has become an increasingly complex operation, particularly during prolonged spells of hot weather Mediterranean plants such as rosemary and olive trees have already been ruled out, however, with officials determined to preserve Wimbledon's quintessential character rather than transform SW19 into a southern European landscape. Keeping the famous gardens in pristine condition has become an increasingly complex operation, particularly during prolonged spells of hot weather. Alongside nurturing thousands of flowers, Mr Stubley and his team are also responsible for maintaining the Championships' 18 grass courts, balancing irrigation carefully to ensure the surfaces remain safe and playable throughout the fortnight. He revealed the weather has become an obsession during the tournament. 'We're constantly managing the weather, I've probably got about 25 weather apps that I look at probably every seven minutes, so we're constantly looking at that and just looking at the variables,' he said. Managing moisture levels is a delicate balancing act, with grounds staff needing enough water early in the tournament to keep the grass alive without making the courts too soft for players. 'If you go too dry at the start of the championships, then all the grass will die, and you end up with a bigger problem at the end of the championship,' Mr Stubley explained. 'It's kind of like you worry at the start, you kind of worry less in the middle, and then you worry more at the end, so we kind of worry the whole time.' England recorded its warmest June on record, with a mean temperature of 17.1°C, surpassing the previous record set in 2025 and standing nearly 3°C above the long-term average Modern playing styles present another headache, as Mr Stubley revealed that the increasing number of players sliding into shots places even greater strain on the already sun-baked courts. 'If they slide more, it's a big problem for grass,' he said. 'If you look at the pinnacle of a grass court tennis shoe, it's almost like a cheese grater, and as it cuts through the plant, it will shred leaves.' He added that the heaviest wear is often found around two metres behind the baseline, where players launch into defensive slides, with stars such as Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner placing the surface under particular stress through their movement. 'Everybody doesn't play the same,' Stubley said. 'We just have to accept that.' The challenges facing Wimbledon reflect wider concerns about the impact of climate change across the UK. Professor Stephen Belcher, the Met Office's Chief Scientist, said after the record-breaking June: 'To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. 'Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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