How Britons kept their lawns green during the 1976 heatwave: From covering plants in old clothes to using bathwater and sand... so how many are you still doing today?

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If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn morePublic parks are scorched yellow, fields have lost their emerald green shine and gardens up and down the UK are suffering under some of the hottest weather the nation has ever faced.The unrelenting sun has sparked a myriad of comparisons to the 1976 heatwave, with residents having to deal with similar sweltering conditions, as well as also navigating hosepipe bans to conserve water.However, while today there's plenty of clever outdoor tech to rely on to keep your lawn green - from sophisticated water butt setups to gravity-fed drip irrigation kits, slow-release terracotta spikes and even digital soil moisture meters - many will no doubt remember how times were much simpler 50 years ago.Back then, practical tips included using baggy trousers soaked in water, using leftover bath water and even bribing your neighbours with produce to look after your garden when you were on your summer holidays.Such advice was among those delivered by 'Spotlight South-West' gardener Don Hoyle for BBC One's Nationwide programme, which aired on August 4, 1976.He revealed how he maintained his stunning outdoor space for the duration of the heatwave. Such advice was among those delivered by 'Spotlight South-West' gardener Don Hoyle for BBC One's Nationwide programme, which aired on August 4, 1976Insisting he 'stuck to the law' and avoided the hosepipe, Don said the key was 'concentrating on using what water they've got - bathwater etc - and using it for the plants that really require it'.His first top tip was making use of peat with potted plants which need frequent watering.'There's plenty of peat in there,' he said. 'So you don't really have to worry. Once they've a really good soaking, the peat, like a sponge, will hold the water for a long time.He also gave tips for what to do if you go away on holidays.When it comes to potted plants, you can get away with storing them away in some shade.'Get your secateurs with the tubs and the hanging baskets and cut off all the flowers, every one of them,' Don advised.'And take away the tubs and baskets and pack them together in the shadiest and coolest part of the garden. They'll be quite happy for a week or maybe two weeks.'Elsewhere, when it comes to flowers in the ground, like Camellias, Don suggested putting down a mulch before going away.'You get bath water, a good bucketful, and really soak the Camelia; pour the whole bucketful there,' he said, advising against washing-up water or washing machine runoff, which may contain chemicals.Then, he said 'you can seal that moisture in with a layer of grass mowings'. Don said you can chuck a pair of old baggy trousers over the roots of the tomato plants to help - as they hold onto moistureDon shared that you could 'even get plants to water themselves' - a tactic that he advised would work well for plants inside the house.'You've got to go back to school and think of your physics,' he explained. 'Capillary action. Water goes up narrow tubes, there's narrow tubes in your soil compost and you can make plants use this capillary action and water themselves.'Don demonstrated a seedbox lined with polythene and filled with sand, which was moist.He explained that this can be filled right up to the top with water, which would take around two days to percolate into the sand.If you took your houseplants off the windowsill and into a shaded spot - atop the sand - they would be 'quite happy for a couple of weeks or more'.When it came to produce like tomatoes, however, Don admitted that anyone going on holiday would have to rely on the kindness of neighbours and friends. To tackle this, he suggested bribing them with vegetables and fruits. 'You can encourage them to come along,' he shared. 'Let him have all the tomatoes, aubergines, sweet peppers, melons and runner beans. Perhaps his most 70s advice, however, was to simply get on with it and accept that which can't be helped'The more he picks, the better it is for him and the better it is for you.'If such a friend is able to come and water the plants only once a day, Don said you can chuck a pair of old baggy trousers over the roots of the tomato plants to help - as they hold onto moisture. Perhaps his most 70s advice, however, was to simply get on with it and accept that which can't be helped. 'We're prepared to be realists and forget some things in drought conditions,' he explained. 'No point wasting water on plants which will be gone in about six weeks anyway.' It comes as today Britain is facing one of its hottest days on record, as temperatures could hit 38C and rail passengers were urged to only make essential journeys.The Met Office has extended the area of its rare 15-hour amber 'extreme heat' warning - only its second since 2022 - which came into force at 9am this morning.The warning initially covered parts of central and southern England, but at 10am it was extended further west - where the highest temperatures are now expected.The whole of England is separately under a UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) amber heat health alert until tomorrow night, which warns of a 'rise in deaths'.By 1pm today, Charlwood in Surrey hit 36.7C - making it the ninth day in 2026 with temperatures reaching 35C. It is also the fourth day of 36C-plus heat - a new record.Chiltern Railways and East Midlands Railway both told passengers to 'only travel if essential' with the UK's sixth heatwave of the year expected to cause delays.Reduced services were also confirmed by c2c, CrossCountry, Great Western Railway, Northern, Transport for Wales and West Midlands Railway as temperatures soar.A 38C (100F) high today would make it Britain's joint fifth hottest day on record – tying with that same temperature in Norfolk on June 26, which is the current 2026 high.Elsewhere, fire chiefs said 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales so far in 2026, the same as the record-breaking total for the whole of last year.Prime Minister Andy Burnham chaired a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee yesterday in response to the ongoing hot and dry weather.