As the UK declares a drought across large parts of England, gardens and gardeners are facing the challenge of keeping their plants alive. At the ‘Lost Gardens of Sevenoaks’ in Kent, head gardener Melvyn Jones says the current dry spell is ‘unprecedented’ and that he’s concerned they may lose some of their rare species plants. Owner Claire Price suggests Britons will have to re-think their planting choices as extreme temperatures become more common - ‘beautiful manicured lawns need to go straight away’, she says, to be replaced by wildflower meadows. There is a hosepipe ban in place across Kent, but commercial properties are exempt, which is lucky for the Lost Gardens’ two alpacas, used for trekking and petting, as keepers are spraying them down to help them cope with temperatures of over 30C. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES