expert opinion
The Challenges of Gardening in a Changing Climate
Gardening is a strong part of British culture and, for some, the home revolves around the garden. Mary Paynefrom Compton Acres talks about the increasingly inconsistent weather in the UK caused by climate change is making the gardening experience challenging.
A
s gardeners we must increasingly adapt our growing techniques to cope with our changing climate which is likely to send us periods of drought, as in the summer of 2018, or persistent rain causing flooding. Mary Payne, MBE is an award-winning
horticultural consultant for Compton Acres, with privately-owned gardens in Poole boasting over 3000 species of plants. Here are some of the approaches that she uses to offset the effects of climate change that could be useful for gardeners anywhere. Discussing the issue of maintaining plants in dry conditions, Mary said: “Where dry conditions are experienced it is important to conserve the available moisture in the soil. We can do this by applying a 5cm (2”) depth of mulch as this cuts down the loss of soil moisture by evaporation from the surface. This material consists of shredded twigs and branches. Not only does mulch do an excellent job of conserving moisture but has the added advantage of preventing the germination of weed seeds and helps prevent frost damage of vulnerable plants e.g. dahlias, cannas, ginger lilies.
“We also need to increase the amount of water that can be held in our soils by adding plenty of organic matter on a regular basis. This can be homemade garden compost, mushroom compost or composted green waste. At Compton Acres all our soft garden waste is composted and returned to the soil when planting. Woody plant waste is shredded and then partially composted before being used as a mulch.”
GCU June 2019 Watering plants in dry conditions is another key
element of gardening in a changing climate. Mary said: “Watering seems an obvious choice during dry spells, but it should only be done as a last resort and used very carefully. Water is a precious resource. Water applied to the soil surface, if not adequate to penetrate to the root zone, simply encourages the roots to come to the surface where high temperatures increase evaporation leading to problems. At Compton Acres we use low level sprinklers on timers at night, to give a thorough watering. Overhead sprinklers merely wet the foliage and often prevent water getting to the roots. Hand watering in the evening or early morning is also beneficial.
“The impoverished sandy soil is too well drained and unable to hold adequate moisture during the summer months. The gardeners at Compton Acres have to adapt their gardening methods to enable the wide range of plants in the garden to cope. “Pots and baskets are very vulnerable during
periods of water shortage. Automated timed systems are excellent using drippers into each pot to deliver adequate water without wastage. We use a water retaining gel (Swellgel) added to the compost to help store water but take care to get the dosage rate correct.” There are certain types of plants that are built to withstand inconsistent weather. Mary said: “At Compton Acres we have a large collection of plants from many parts of the world and each one has its own likes and dislikes. It is important therefore that plants are selected carefully so that they can thrive. For dry conditions, try to select plants that have succulent leaves as these store water. Sedums
are an excellent example of a plant that rarely needs water once established. We use many begonias for summer colour as they have fleshy leaves. Hairy leaves trap a layer of moist air between the hairs, thus reducing the amount of water loss from the leaf surface. Many silver leaved plants are drought tolerant as the silver effect is created by close packed hairs e.g. Senecio cineraria. Other natural adaptations to look out for include leathery leaves including many evergreens and small or reduced leaves. Broom (Cytisus) relies heavily on its green stems for photosynthesis. We put this knowledge into practice by careful selection and positioning of plants.” “As our climate changes many of our plants are coming into leaf and blossom earlier than they used to. This makes them vulnerable to late spring frosts which can be devastating. By careful positioning of vulnerable plants in more sheltered locations the damage can be reduced. If frost is forecast, then a layer of horticultural fleece may save the day.” We must all protect our planet in every way we can, and our gardens are a haven for a huge variety of pollinating insects and birds – even if as gardeners we may not love all of them all of the time.
“Enjoy your own garden and visit some of England’s wealth of stunning gardens including Compton Acres.” There are ways in which you can combat the
effect of climate change on your garden through picking the right plants and preparing them for either hot or cold weather. It is important to do your part in reducing the effect of climate change and keeping gardening green.
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