DEATH GARDENS

CAN THE UK LEARN TO LOVE DEATH AS MUCH AS LIFE?

In the grip of a drought enhanced or caused by the rapid climate change made by our production of atmospheric gases, the UK’s gardeners reacted in a variety of ways. Many understandably upset at the suffering and loss of plants long cared for. Struggling wildlife and natural habitats receiving less attention, but some.

Many gardening professionals immediately latched onto the idea of new sets of plants to cope with drought conditions. An interesting and important strand of what needs to be a much bigger piece of research. Replacing our garden plants is useful but I always wonder first, what is nature telling us?

A problem with human caused climate change, perhaps the biggest for nature, is that the climate is changing faster than nature has had to adapt to before, evolution is traditionally slow. Warming is one symptom, erratic and extreme are another two.

This summer in the UK, with its record breaking temperature and its drought, I was reminded of Malibu in California and parts of southern Europe. Seasons are different in these places, the green and colourful seasons are winter and spring. Summer is drought and death.

Rather than replacing our gardens with plants that are drought tolerant enough to limp through our summers, perhaps we also have to consider plants able to die completely in drought or go dormant and then bounce back. Having witnessed this in person, I can vouch for the beauty of these dead and dying landscapes.

Is the UK ready to see the beauty of dead gardens?