Gardening in a Changing Climate - Part 2: Guest Blog by Paul Scriven

This April 2025 has been the sunniest on record since 1910, although that has been fantastic for our plants its worth remembering that, as our climate changes we as gardeners need to adapt our own gardens to help counter the effects. Guided by in depth research, including articles like 'RHS Gardening in a Changing climate’ we now have a wealth of information at our green fingertips. With careful thought over the basic layout of the garden, carbon sequestration opportunities and flood and drought alleviation, we can greatly increase the services that our gardens offer our wider natural environment as well as for ourselves personally.

Diversity 

One of the most important things we as gardeners can do to mitigate climate change is to plant a diverse range of trees, shrubs and perennials. This not only creates a miniature carbon sink but also can assist in reducing flood risk through the tree and shrub roots breaking up the soil and providing pathways for water into the ground rather than on top of it.

Carefully consider a layered planting of trees, shrub and perennials alongside ground covering plants and some vines. If this is done with a preference for native varieties then you can find yourself naturally building a more robust and resilient ecosystem that is also benefiting wildlife. This approach begins to tick more than purely a climate issue but can begin to boost the health of our environment and us - a wonderful virtuous circle.

My top tips to begin this journey are :

*Include many native species - they tend to have better natural resistance as well as being suitable for our indigenous wildlife.

*Choose variants known to be more tolerant of heat and water fluctuations to aid longevity. Ensure the plant is situated in its ideal environment from the beginning.

*Grow a wide range of genus and species - to build resilience in the garden and provide year round food for wildlife, some years may suit some plants better than others and so you can build a wider range of tolerant plants as we experience more unsettled or variable weather patterns.

*Include nitrogen fixing plants (legumes) to aid natural soil improvement, drawing nitrogen from the air and into the soil. These plants tend to be pioneer species and support growth in new gardens and open ground.

Trees 

Trees such as Oaks, Limes and Pines sequester huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and act as great carbon stores in their branches and roots as they mature. As well as giving off oxygen and improving soil quality the cooling shade they provide lowers temperatures and creates important habitat for wildlife.

Large trees that are good for changing climate are:

• Oaks (Quercus) -  can sequester huge amounts of carbon in maturity and provide habitat for wildlife becoming their own small ecosystem as they approach ‘veteran’ status, such as the magnificent veteran oak we have in our garden (pictured above)
• Limes (Tilia) - we have planted plenty of limes around the gardens as they make particularly good fodder for honey bees as well as being resilient to temperature fluctuations. 
• Yew (Taseus) - one of our best native evergreens for absorbing carbon and other pollutants all year round.
• Pine (Pinus)  - very drought tolerant and another capable of absorbing carbon. In addition the aromatic oils of the Pinus have been proven to seed clouds during times of drought.

Small trees invaluable in a changing climate are

• Hawthorn  (Crataegus) - adept at coping with extreme weather events and great for wildlife being a prolific pollinator friendly flowering shrub.
• Crab apples (Malus) - Relatively drought tolerant, fantastic for early pollinators and a great food source later in the season.
• Hazel (Corylus) - Highly effective at carbon sequestration, sustainable building and firewood/ charcoal resources through the traditional practices of coppicing and, if you beat the squirrels, a great food source! 
• Elders (Sambucus) -  A very versatile understory tree, enjoying semi shade and providing fantastic edible flowers and berries. Our friends at Birds of Poole Harbour recommend it as benefiting black caps and garden warblers. 

Perennials 

Other Climate resistant shrubs and perennials can include garden favourites like Viburnum, Cotoneaster (in particular C franchotti which is particularly good at hoovering up air borne pollutants), Eleagnus (check our edible berry varieties for a tasty treat!) and Buddleia. Hellaborus and Hemerocallis are also great additions and we have plenty of Symphytum Comfrey dotted about or garden for the compost pile along with drought tolerant Agapanthus (both for sale at the gardens.)

Grasses such as Miscanthus can quietly store huge amounts of carbon in their roots and biomass and Vetivert Chrysopogon zizanioides has become known as the miracle grass due to its ability to stabilise and clean the soils of pollutants. It’s also worth noting that leaving native grasses to grow allows them a chance to deepen roots, sequester carbon and store water so keep up with your ’no mow may’ as an easy way to bust climate change.

Planting in a changing climate does present challenges, many of which we have experienced in our short time gardening at Carey. However, there are ways that we hope to demonstrate that it isn't all doom and gloom and that, through some careful considerations and actions, your garden can become a solution rather than problem.

By Paul Scriven, Head Gardener at Careys Secret Garden

May 2025