@KeenOnGreen. That sounds mighty drastic, these heat waves come and go every so many years, next year could be completely different, the perennials roots could go down deep and survive next year, I’ve had similar happen. Ive just cut the top growth off everything to hopefully preserve them.
The watering is the problem but there are a few counties that say they have water and won’t be enforcing a ban.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I understand what you mean @Lyn but for years now in the South East, we have had periods of 2-3 months with virtually no rain. This usually happens in Spring, and means we have had to water the garden much earlier in the year than normal. We have also had very warm/hot days on a regular basis, without it being declared a heatwave. On New Year's Day it was 14c and we could have worn t-shirts outside. Our pots were all being watered regularly in Jan and Feb. It's a year-long problem, not just short heatwave periods in Summer.
The pattern of direction is clear, so we would rather take drastic action now, than have to go through a repeat of this Summer, and previous Spring's. We are metered for our water, so another reason to limit our usage.
The topography of our garden doesn't help. Our top terrace is 2-3 metres above the patio level, so any ground water drains down to the lower terrace, and then the patio. Our main flower beds are on the top terrace, so gravity is winning.
I'm excited to see redesign things, so that they still look interesting, but with much less watering and maintenance. I'm curious to see how the other gardeners in the South East are responding to similar conditions.
Before moving here, I lived in the Weald, mostly hot summers and cold winters, garden was clay, footings on clay and shrunk in the heat of 76. House subsided!
The seasons seem to be equalling now, we have frosts in November and March/April the in between months are quite calm.
This year I didn’t plant anything out until 2nd week in June and lost a few plants from the cold.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I'm excited to see redesign things, so that they still look interesting, but with much less watering and maintenance. I'm curious to see how the other gardeners in the South East are responding to similar conditions.
Like AnneD, I have to rethink my garden. I realise that we were just lucky in July's heat, because we had clouds covering the worst of the sun after 3. For days now, we have not one single cloud and I can see my plants struggling and all the echinacea flower heads are scorched. I have already decided which plant has to go. Until this nightmare is over, there will probably more have to be added. I wonder of the butterflies already knew in April that they have to start a month earlier because there will not be enough food in August for them. I will rethink the entire layout and create little paths in between to be able to take care of the plants without walking on soil. I have to mulch everything as our heavy clay soil is like concrete in this conditions. Since our neighbour cut off the trees, I have thought several times, I wish I had a shady garden with no sunshine at all. At least, I could sit in the garden. Being on the north side doesn't stop the sun in the afternoon up to 8 in the evening. They forecast warm weather up to December which would be good for the energy bill, but probably bad for Spring time.
Obviously climate change is a massive problem for gardeners, but I think we need to remember, it is not just us which rely on our gardens. What will happen if we stop providing food and habitats for our pollinators.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
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The pattern of direction is clear, so we would rather take drastic action now, than have to go through a repeat of this Summer, and previous Spring's. We are metered for our water, so another reason to limit our usage.
The topography of our garden doesn't help. Our top terrace is 2-3 metres above the patio level, so any ground water drains down to the lower terrace, and then the patio. Our main flower beds are on the top terrace, so gravity is winning.
I'm excited to see redesign things, so that they still look interesting, but with much less watering and maintenance. I'm curious to see how the other gardeners in the South East are responding to similar conditions.
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
I wonder of the butterflies already knew in April that they have to start a month earlier because there will not be enough food in August for them.
I will rethink the entire layout and create little paths in between to be able to take care of the plants without walking on soil. I have to mulch everything as our heavy clay soil is like concrete in this conditions.
Since our neighbour cut off the trees, I have thought several times, I wish I had a shady garden with no sunshine at all. At least, I could sit in the garden. Being on the north side doesn't stop the sun in the afternoon up to 8 in the evening.
They forecast warm weather up to December which would be good for the energy bill, but probably bad for Spring time.
I ♥ my garden.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I ♥ my garden.