It seems that the weather in the UK is changing, and extreme weather patterns seem to be on the increase. The garden I've designed for the Chelsea Flower Show this year is called the 'Hasmead Sand & Ice' garden. I designed it during the early days of the hose-pipe ban around Chelsea & many parts of southern England in 2006. The theme looks at how plants need to adapt to climatic change and how they can be used in gardens which can cope with global warming.
Whatever the reasons for Climatic Change, we do need to adapt to it. My garden highlights two of the extremes that result from Climatic change: shrinking ice caps and expanding deserts. In the design you will see how I've contrasted the soft flowing lines of the desert details with the jagged edges of ice.
Two of my favourite gardens are the Dry Garden at RHS Hyde Hall (see picture above), and Beth Chatto’s Gravel Garden – here plants are used that have adapted to survive in areas of low rainfall. If you haven't been, I would highly recommend it. They are relatively close together too, so if you're driving you would be able to make a day of it. These gardens are an inspiration to gardeners and designers alike to work with nature, rather than against her.
All gardeners can introduce water-wise gardening. For example:
(a) Using drought tolerant plants,
(b) Applying a mulch to lock in soil moisture, and suppress weeds,
(c) Planting in the autumn when less watering is required,
(d) Installing a water butt, and
(e) Using grey water – for example from the bath.
For further information on water-wise gardening, please see the RHS website:
Linda Bush is a garden designer based in Kent.
www.lindabush.co.uk/chelsea.html
www.lindabush.co.uk/chelsea.html
