Climate Change at Carey
Who’d be a gardener?
Here at Carey we have not even begun our 3rd year of redevelopment of the walled garden and yet we have already witnessed some effects of climate change first hand.
We began work in October 2019 which heralded the arrival of a particularly wet and mild Winter where even on free draining, friable soil, our digger driver struggled to make headway due to the incessant rain.
March arrived and thankfully a high pressure system. However, there was to be no Spring as by later that month under cloudless skies, temperatures rocketed to the mid 20’s, lock down would be accompanied by a heatwave!
No April showers and a bone dry May and June saw the garden parched. By July we were having to install temporary irrigation just to keep the newly planted trees and rose bushes alive. The struggle continued into the latter half of September when finally the ‘wet season’ arrived. Admittedly this last Autumn/Winter was not quite as wet though certainly colder at times.
By March this year (2021) things were just about back on track, or so we thought! April showers were replaced with zero rainfall, overnight temperatures hovering around freezing and a constant nagging cold easterly wind. No seed could be sown outdoors and virtually nothing moved in the garden for 5 weeks or more.
May arrived and thankfully so did a series of Atlantic fronts including two particularly deep and unseasonable areas of low pressure.
As I write this we now appear to be witnessing a more ‘traditional’ British Summer. Any takers for the hottest September on record? I do have to say however that after the closure of the garden throughout August, I am very excited what awaits us on our return in September. A really good second flush of roses is expected, the tropical area should be looking great and the Salvia bed will be at its best this time of year.
It will be great to welcome back our ever increasing number of volunteers. We also have our first ever apprentices with Mandy and Charlie joining the team, so hopefully forging a long and successful relationship with Kingston Maurward College.
Various workshops are planned to begin in September which will include herbalist courses, propagation, foraging and bird watching/re-wilding so check out the rest of the website for full details.
Like I say; an exciting time ahead so make sure you book a visit over the next couple of months to witness this unique and beautiful setting.
Climate Change at Carey, written by Paul Scriven, Head Gardener August 2021
