The return of the classic English summer – a fair amount of rain punctuated by occasional sunshine, and an Indian summer – is great for the classic English garden.

Even if wet weather means that we will not get out to enjoy the garden much, it will keep our lawns lush, but we will have to keep on top of weeds.

A dry autumn is certainly good news if it allows us to enjoy the fruits of our labours. Most plants will have finished their growth, but if soil conditions are good, we could get a lively second growth later in the summer.

Most of the plants that come into their own in autumn, such as Michaelmas daisies, should be OK with good soil and deep roots. Sedum ‘Herbst-freude’, know to gardeners as autumn joy, should prosper, as the name suggests, as it is a succulent plant with thick leaves that retain moisture.

Herbs such as lavender and rosemary will adapt well, as will Mediterranean plants, such as pelargoniums. We have also been seeing more plants from Australia and South Africa, such as osteospermium, a kind of African daisy. What is more problematic is the unsettled and extreme weather that we have had in the early part of the summer, with storms and hail in June. Plants are in full growth, and if staking is not in place they can be blown over.

Tomato blight is also something to watch out for in a wet summer.

Gardens with coarse or sandy soil could start to struggle with drier conditions later in the year, particularly in the South of England. Roses and delphiniums may suffer. Those with woodland gardens and a lot of ferns may have trouble, and anyone who has a tree fern will need to make sure it gets a lot of water. Rhododendrons and camellias could be in danger because they initiate their flowerbuds at that time of year. To invest in buds for next spring you will need to ensure that they don’t dry out.

Watchfulness will be the byword. It is always very difficult for these long-term forecasts to be accurate – so the diligent gardener is best prepared for anything that the weather brings.

Helen Bostock works for the Royal Horticultural Society’s advice service

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