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| Go greener |
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| With a growing number of gardeners eschewing chemicals in favour of natural alternatives, we can suggest some effective products from our organic gardening selection |
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| Relax and refresh |
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| Good food freshly prepared daily, aromatic coffee, chilled wine and a grassy play area for the children. What more could you need? |
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| Food heaven |
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| Our Farm Shop is heaven for food lovers! Delicious handmade food, top quality groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables and stylish cookware and gifts. |
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| The Discovery Walk |
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| As thousands of daffodils herald the spring, stroll or stride around our Walk while the youngsters enjoy the Nature Trail |
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Climate change and the impact on our gardens
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| Thursday, 11th October 2007 |
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IN THE GARDEN WITH PETA MARSHALL
How would I describe this year’s summer? Well, in all honesty, probably the greyest and gloomiest I’ve known! It was real cool – and I don’t mean it in the young-person’s usage of the word ‘cool’, as it certainly wasn’t ‘cool’…it was cool!).
It was also miserable. And there are probably no words to describe it for those poor souls who were flooded out during July.
We now know that all the cloud and rain was caused by meteorological events taking place on the other side of the world (the El Nino effect from the south Pacific region). But if this year’s summer is yet another indication that our climate is changing what should we, as gardeners, do?
There is no doubt that average temperatures worldwide are increasing. Our winters are warmer, and the Arctic icecap is melting! The trouble is we are talking about ‘average’ temperatures, not all temperatures. What do I mean?
Well, our next winter is just around the corner and it could, if the trend continues, be a mild one. However we might get one or two really cold snaps. And these cold snaps could be just enough to kill off the sorts of plants that we were hoping to keep going through the winter.
I’ve seen people buying banana plants and palms in the hope of keeping them from year to year, and I’ve seen things like the Indian shot plant (canna) and dahlias being kept successfully outside all year round. We’ve been lucky to get away with this, but I reckon you shouldn’t take mild winters for granted.
I personally believe a few more decades will pass before we can keep citrus trees, tender palms and cacti outdoors all year round.
I also believe that there will be more cloud cover (this summer is an example of what could become more commonplace). This means that ripening of some fruits will take longer to happen, or may not happen at all. Tomatoes and sweet corn, for example, need copious amounts of sunshine.
If the experts are to be believed, summer droughts are also going to occur more frequently. In 2006 we were all talking about the water shortage and everyone wanted a water butt. This year those water butts kept overflowing!
Then, of course, when the sun does shine, we’re told not to sit out in it for more than a few minutes otherwise we’ll subject ourselves to all kinds of solar radiation. You just can’t win!
In recent years horticultural scientists have turned clairvoyant, and have made many official statements. For example, a report commissioned by the
National Trust and the Royal Horticultural Society pointed to a future where the beloved English lawn would become unsustainable. Dry summers, it said, will result in “hosepipe bans” and lawn-less gardens, unless the dry-soil-loving Mediterranean grass species are used.
Then there was a symposium in America called ‘Impacts of Climate Change on Horticulture’ which was prompted by the well-recorded shift in the first-leaf and first-bloom dates of plants over the past several decades.
And an RHS Science Exchange, held in London, brought together leading scientists to discuss the future of gardening. Dr Simon Thornton-Wood, the Society’s head of science, based at Wisley, said that there was evidence to suggest there would be some frost-free winters during the next hundred years and that the landscape of much of the southern half of the UK will be altered forever by climate change.
It’s daunting stuff, but for gardeners I reckon the impact of Climate Change will be as follows:
1. Higher average winter temperatures We will be able to grow a few more exotic plants outdoors, but we should also be prepared to invest in masses of horticultural fleece and bubble-wrap, just so that we have something to cover these tender plants when the really cold snaps are forecast!
2. More droughts We should grow more drought-tolerant plants like silver-leaved herbs and succulents. And we should buy water butts, (as many as we can comfortably fit into the garden).
3. More cloud cover Ripening of some fruits may take longer, and many flowers (such as osteospermums) may not be so popular because they are at their best only when the sun’s out.
4. More plant pests and fungal diseases Mild winters don’t kill off certain insect pests, and fungal diseases generally are more troublesome on plants during cool, wet weather. Unfortunately a dull summer, like this year’s, is perfect for pests and diseases, and so is a moist, mild winter. To avoid fungal problems particularly we need hot, dry summers and really cold winters, and we just don’t seem to be getting these any more.
This week I seem to have been preaching global gloom but, actually, I’m very positive about it all. Things always change, and our gardens in 50 years time will probably be very different to those of 50 years ago. But then so will fashion, transport, architecture, and so on.
The good news for gardeners, however, is that roses will still be roses, and strawberries will still be strawberries. Some things will never change. Happy gardening!
This week in your garden
Don’t allow fallen autumn leaves to stay on the grass. Brush them off, at least once a week. If you leave them they will rot down into the soil and fungal diseases will kill off the grass.
Tie in long, new shoots of wall-trained climbing roses, before wind snaps them.
Plant lily bulbs in well-worked, humus-rich soil.
Peta Marshall is the plant centre manager at Priory Farm in Nutfield. Website: www.prioryfarm.co.uk
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