The low rainfall could not even dim spirits in Commonwealth Park, where Floriade's head gardener said preparations were well under way for the ACT's favourite flower show despite the unseasonable weather.

June was the only winter month to reach its rainfall quota in 2014, with 57 millimetres falling over four weeks not enough to make up for the two dry months that followed.

Only 16.2 millimetres fell during July, while August managed to do a little better with about 27 millimetres, both barely half their respective monthly averages.

Overall daytime temperatures were consistently warmer than average throughout Canberra's winter months, with the entire season almost an entire degree above average.

Confusingly, despite a generally warmer than average season, winter was topped off with a record-setting cold August, as temperatures on August 5 plunged to a bone-chilling minus 7.6 degrees.

Despite the dry winter and frigid August, Floriade head gardener Andrew Forster said the extreme weather would have no effect on the quality of this year's flower show.

He said by using irrigation and special fertiliser, the crews were able to keep plants in a suitable condition throughout winter.

"Obviously, the rain the other day was nice, good for the flowers. Natural rainfall is better than irrigation because it's more even across the garden beds. Also, it's part of the nitrogen cycle, so it helps the plants grow a lot better with natural rainfall," he said.

"[But] we don't have an issue with there being less rain during the winter."

Mr Forster said even the cold weather was not a problem, as the bulbs thrived in the sub-zero conditions and all planting was done early to ensure annuals were established in time for winter.

"Basically, what we do is we plant everything by the end of May, so the bulbs don't mind the cold. It's the annuals that need to get their roots in the soil before it's too cold ... As it gets colder, they sit, they wait and slowly start growing. When it gets warmer, they start to kick in."

Mr Forster said he was hoping for sunny skies during spring so visitors could enjoy Floriade, and he would also "put in an order" for clear weather during NightFest.

A spokesman for ACTEW Water said low rainfall had not affected the ACT's dam levels, leaving the city well prepared for the dry summer months.

"We currently have very healthy water storage levels. We have more water in storage than ever before and storage is continuing to increase," he said.

"We don't envisage moving from our current state of permanent water conservation measures in the foreseeable future. In fact, our projections indicate that the ACT would have to experience conditions which have been unseen in our recorded history to require moving to water restrictions."

Canberra's dam levels sit at 83.9 per cent.