If I could send the rain else where I would along with the wind it bent over plants and almost snapped the veronicastrums , once it starts raining its doesn't stop . I pray for the sun shine again I loved the hot weather.
Climate Change is a real issue, affecting all of us, affecting agriculture, affecting our infrastructure. We are unprepared because our climate has been very benign in our lifetimes. It is becoming far less kind, for sure
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
.... and, I think those authories in generally wetter areas fair worse than those with historically low rainfall as they are less prepared. I remember when Ireland and the north of England had a hose pipe ban a few years ago - the reservoirs were less able to cope because they had never had to.
Ok time to be positive then....My friend has just given me seeds for Echium Candicans, so I can think ahead to next year, with this amazing sun loving plant. Anyone else got it? It is huge and drought proof!
The drought was so bad this year that even some of my more drought-tolerant plants suffered, never thought I'd see so many of the basal leaves of my Eryngium 'Blaukappe' going brown and even buddleias struggling! Honestly, the only plants that remained entirely unaffected were most established shrubs, some of the eryngiums, scabiouses, Phlomis italica and an aster!
I've been gardening for a decade and this is honestly the first time I've seriously considered giving it up! But I've decided to pull myself together and just treat the whole thing as an instructive incident regarding drought-tolerance.
It loves the Isle of Wight, @ PlantsWoman! I can't grow it on my clay soil but you see it all over the south of the Island and it's amazing. You are quite right to be positive - I shall give myself a talking to and try to cheer up!
I think we need to be increasingly careful in using the term “drought tolerant” - bring clear what we mean by it.
Trying to get plants to establish in hot, dry years is hard. I found with my sandy bed that there was just no good time to put the plants in. We had nighttime frosts until mid April then it jumped to 22oC daytime temps in a few weeks -hardly any rain since Feb. There is no tap to hand for that bed. It will be a puzzle.
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“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I've been gardening for a decade and this is honestly the first time I've seriously considered giving it up! But I've decided to pull myself together and just treat the whole thing as an instructive incident regarding drought-tolerance.
You are quite right to be positive - I shall give myself a talking to and try to cheer up!