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Location climate guide

Seattle's summer dry season is getting longer

Wet winters mask a genuine summer drought. Plant choice has to satisfy both.

Garden Forward editorial team · Published 2026-04-02 · Updated 2026-04-02 · Seattle, United States

The inside of an old glasshouse crowded with tree ferns and potted ferns around a doorway
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Seattle receives most of its rain between October and April. July to September is reliably dry, and getting drier.

Successful gardens use species that tolerate winter saturation and summer drought — a narrower set than either extreme alone.

Mulch applied in spring, before the soil dries, is worth more than the same mulch applied in August.

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Editorial content. Narrative may be assisted by Noah, but plant traits, native status, safety information, climate figures and suitability scores are locked factual fields that Noah cannot alter.