DROUGHT ALERT: Britain facing 'hotter, drier summers with EXTREME weather events'
BRITAIN is facing droughts as hotter, drier summers turn cherished plots into dust bowls.
Weather set to turn milder in UK ahead of May bank holiday
There is also the looming spectre of more garden pests and plant diseases as well as our favourite flowers and traditional fruits vanishing because of the changing climate.
Extreme weather events with more floods and droughts and the disappearance of parks and village greens also likely outcomes when summer temperatures soar by 6.5°C over the next few decades.
The loss of the perfect garden is being highlighted by scientists at the University of Reading with the publication of a new report calling for more effort to save one of the quintessential features of British life.
Gardeners in the south of England face some of the biggest challenges as their hallowed lawns become dusty, brown meadows.
Today’s publication of Gardening in a Changing Climate, produced by the Royal Horticultural Society in collaboration with the Universities of Reading, Sheffield and Coventry and with input from Met Office experts, will trouble the nation’s estimated 27 million gardeners.
Warmer winters, longer growing seasons, heavier rains washing nutrients from the soil and the arrival of more invasive species are mentioned as some of the likely climate-related hazards that will make the popular pastime more burdensome.
Conservationists are also fearful of the impact that warmer winter and summer temperatures will have on the wildlife that are increasingly dependent upon gardens for sanctuary.
While gardeners do accept that climate change is happening, only a worrying two per cent feel prepared to deal with its impacts, warn the experts.
They say, however, the nation’s green-fingered army has a role to play in combating climate change, with strategies that would take some of the least popular gardening chores off the calendar.
Reducing carbon footprints by using water butts, avoiding petrol tools, chemicals and composts that contain peat as well as planting trees and plants to remove carbon dioxide would be a useful start.
Grass-free lawns would also help, not only taking away the monotony of regular cutting, but boosting populations of pollinating insects if the spaces were turned over to flowers.
Professor Paul Hadley, Professor of Horticulture at the University of Reading and who wrote the previous RHS report Gardening in a Global Greenhouse in 2002, said: “This report provides timely and valuable guidance on the changes that we are all seeing in our gardens and the wider landscape.
“It is clear that there is a desire among members of the gardening community to understand the prospects for climate change in their gardens and the actions they can take to continue to garden successfully.
"We are pleased that research at the University of Reading will be useful to millions of gardeners across the country.”
With gardening the most hands-on way most people interact with nature, Professor Ellie Highwood, climate scientist at the University of Reading and President of the Royal Meteorological Society, believes the report is a timely reminder of the way its balance is being altered in all directions.
She explained: “Scientific understanding of the impacts of climate change is much more sophisticated than it was 10 or 15 years ago.
"We knew that global warming would lead to increased average temperatures, but we now know more about how the heat is building up and its effects.
"In the UK, it is likely that the most serious impacts will occur as a result of more extreme weather events, as our normal patterns of weather are disrupted.
“This report serves as useful reminder that climate change is not just someone else’s problem. It affects us all, and can be affected by us all, gardeners included.
“The changes that we notice in our gardens are actually a really important part of recording the impact of climate changes. By keeping an eye on our plants, we can keep an eye on our planet.”
At the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, director of global conservation Martin Harper reiterated the role of gardens in safeguarding wildlife.
He said: “This report makes interesting reading and adds to the ever growing volume of evidence showing how climate change is affecting every aspect of life. It also offers important advice that each of us can make a difference.
“Our gardens are becoming increasingly important for nature, in both rural and urban settings a garden can be a vital source of food and shelter for birds, insects, amphibians and other animals.
"And the RSPB is working with the nation’s biggest house builder, Barratt Homes, to make new homes and communities more nature friendly.
“If you are looking to create a wild space or something more ornamental, there are simple things you can do to give nature a home.
"Choosing the right plants or features will attract wildlife into your garden all year round. We have lots of advice on our website as well as a free 28-page guide that has tips for just about any size of garden.
"So whatever you are looking for in a garden you can create an amazing green space that can be beautiful and good for nature.”