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Climate analogue feature

What gardeners in southern England can learn from Bordeaux

A climate analogue is not a prediction. It is a working example of how people garden in conditions you may be heading towards.

Garden Forward editorial team · Published 2026-01-22 · Updated 2026-01-22 · Southern England

This article has been corrected since publication.

Pink and blue hydrangeas flowering beside a brick-paved drive in low golden sunlight
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Bordeaux gardeners deal with a long summer dry period and intense heat. Their standard practices — deep mulch, canopy shade, infrequent deep watering — translate well.

Analogues have limits. Day length, soil type, pests and local ecology differ, so plant lists cannot simply be copied across.

Use the analogue for technique first and plant selection second.

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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.