Adrian, the 70X40 foot garden on the west of my home is a perennial herb permaculture from close to 30 years, they are mostly european and all introduced here herbs including thyme, sage, hyssop, yellow gentian, oregano, mallow, elecampane, agrimony, mother of thyme, lady's bedstraw, speedwells (native and introduced), betony, allheal (Prunella), lavender, St. Johnswort , potentillas, mugwort, tansy, roses, chives, shallot multipliers and others. This garden has gone decades without any watering or care, it is very firm in the ground. Of course there are some native plants in the mix including the wild strawberries that survived our winter without snow.
I noticed this very dry year that the only place I saw plants suffering from drought in the herb garden was a bed I had rebuilt and replanted, with some bare soil. Only much later into the drought and extreme heat and UV I saw stress on others. Permaculture is certainly a key approach to a future agriculture with climate uncertainty.
Garlic really suffered here, I'm not sure what is worse the dry winter with no snow, or the cold dry spring, or the crazy hot summer. I got a few 'normal' size bulbs to replant but our crop overall is very small.
