(C) Howard Drury Beth Chatto's Garden at Elmstead Market, Essex
Climate Change and Gardeners
By Howard Drury
I am now offering a new lecture around the title of Climate Change and Gardeners and as part of my extensive research I have found many items of interest, many very good scientifically backed papers but at the same time a worrying number contain very inaccurate information. Below are links to some better information only. This will be a continuously updated lecture but if you would like to book Howard's new talk on Gardeners and Climate Change click here
Below is a summary of parts of the lecture (For personal use only please!)
Garden Features
Please see lecture
Wetter Winter Problems
Waterlogged soil depleted in oxygen
Ethylene gas is injurious to plants
Waterlogging can induce secondary factors
Can become worse if ground then freezes
Use contouring and high planting
Careful choice of more tolerant plants
Soil cultivation tips and improvement
Choice of Trees
Autumn planting when ground is moist
Trees to suffer Acer palmatum, A. rubrum, Alnus, Betula, Populus, Sorbus, and certain Abies, Larix and Picea spp.
Trees to hold own Acer platanoides, A. pseudoplatanus, Castanea sativa, Pinus nigra and P. Sylvestris
Better to plant Carpinus, Cercis, Cupressus, Ginkgo, Gleditsia, Hippophae, Rhamnus, Robinia and Pinus pinea.
Shrubby Stalwarts
Amelanchier, Berberis, Buddleia, Cotinus, Forsythia, Hypericum, Lavatera, Magnolia stellata, Philadelphus, Potentilla, Ribes, Sambucus, Spirea, Viburnum tinus and V. opulus, as well as climbers such as Clematis montana, Hedera, Lonicera, Parthenocissus and Solanum crispum
Resilient Herbaceous
Resilient herbaceous plants include Aquilegia, Aruncus, Aster, Bergenia, Eupatorium, Euphorbia, Filipendula, Geranium, Helleborus, Hemerocallis, Hesperis, Leucanthemum, Lychnis, Papaver, Persicaria, Salvia, Solidago and Stachys
Re-Cycling, Upcycling, Re-Using
Please see lecture
LED Lighting
Please see lecture
Climate Change Pests and Diseases
Please see lecture
Our Future Food Supplies
Please see lecture
Future UK Climate Predictions
Temperatures across all seasons to rise
Greater warming in summer than winter
Warming greatest in South East
2080 Winters 1-5c warmer Summer 1-6.5C
Increased rainfall in winter
Increase in intensity of rainfall
Most marked in southern England
Climate Change Effects on Our Gardens
Please see lecture
Climate Change and Our Plants
Please see lecture
Gardeners Way Forward
Please see lecture
Changes in Garden Management
An increase in home composting
More sustainable energy sources, Solar powered mowers to replace petrol models
More targeted use of captured rainfall
Greater restrictions on hosepipes, power washers
Implementation of water efficient drip watering systems
All Pots to be biodegradable or recyclable?
Reduction /banning of peat products
Ethically sourced timber from sustainable sources
Is locally sourced plant material greener?
Peat Alternatives
Vital EarthVital EarthVital Earth (Green waste based) Now branded as Supagrow, not to be confused with Ashwood Nurseries Supagro
Miracle Gro (Green waste / forest waste)
Dalefoot (Wool based)
New Horizon (No green waste)
Bulrush Professional (Including bark & clay) See online retailers for Professional composts
Melcourt SylvaGrow (Forest bark)
John Innes (7:3:2, loam, peat and sand) A national formula made by several compost manufacturers
Hydroponics and LEDs as a way forward
Changes in Garden Styles
Please see lecture
Designing With Changing Climates
Xeriscape gardens
Mediterranean style in Sheffield or Glasgow?
Native style garden design (of interest?) Buddleja davidii, Convallaria majalis, Cotoneaster horizontalis, Euonymus fortunei, Helleborus niger, Prunus laurocerasus, P. lusitanica, Ribes nigrum, Rosa glauca, R. rugosa, Sedum spectabile and Vinca major.
Grasses and grass gardens
Weather resilient plantings
Managing the water in your garden
Watering key points, which plants should receive water and when for best results
Water Collecting and storage
Lawn care and droughts, putting up with what appears to be dead grass
Vegetable growing in hot, drought conditions
Rain Gardens (planning your garden to soak up excessive rains)
Gravel Gardens such as seen at Beth Chatto's garden in Essex
Drought resistant gardening principles and techniques
Drought resistant plants
RHS Climate Report includes guidance on:
Greening your living space
Growing a diverse plant range in your garden for the benefit of all
New ways of gardening such as roof and vertical gardening
Careful water management (neutral)
Composting wherever possible
Adopt the 4 R’s, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Reinvest
Avoid where possible, the use of all chemicals, including pesticides and fertilizers
Manage any possible invasive garden plants
Links and Further Information
Bogs Not Bags
This is the RHS catchphrase on this important subject
Climate Friendly Gardening
From the well-respected site Wikipedia, with masses of sound information and facts.
Climate Friendly Garden (Wildlife Trust)
There are plenty of ways you can take action against climate change in your own backyard, garden or local green space.
Countryfile: Plant Britain
Plant Britain is all about encouraging community gardens and planting wildflowers in a two-year initiative to help combat climate change, help wildlife and pollinators and transform our own wellbeing.
Climate change plants: extreme Planting
Dr Eleanor Webster suggests plants that can survive wet winters and summer drought
Climate change: the UK’s wild flowers are on the move
Over the last five years, 15,000 surveys by volunteer citizen scientists have been submitted and analysed by a partnership of botanists working for Plantlife, the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland (BSBI), the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), DAERA (NIEA) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).
Climate change: 'Our gardens, plots and even pots can make a difference
A major new climate change report has been described as 'a code red for humanity'.
Gardening in the Global Greenhouse
The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) is based at the University of Oxford and funded by DEFRA to coordinate an assessment of how climate change will affect the UK, and help organizations assess how they might be affected
Gardening in a Changing Climate
Fifteen years after Gardening in the Global Greenhouse, the RHS launched Gardening in a Changing Climate – an update of the original document – on 26 April 2017. The new report has been written in collaboration with researchers from the University of Sheffield and University of Reading. The report presents the results of an extensive survey of amateur gardeners and interviews with industry professionals.
Gardens, wildlife and climate change
This is a very important topic. While there is a consensus that human induced climate change is happening, its predicted effects on UK weather are full of uncertainties. The UK’s climate and weather patterns will change, and appear already to be changing. We are commissioning a full review of how climate change could affect garden wildlife, this page sets out some basic information and pointers.