Gardening in a changing climate

Our climate is in a dramatic state of flux. Weather patterns are changing and therefore the way we manage our gardens, and the potential they hold, are changing too. Global warming has brought shorter, milder winters, the early onset of spring and balmy summers to the Northern hemisphere. It has also hailed extreme and sometimes unexpected patterns, with summer storms, torrential rain and flooding. The Southern hemisphere is now more vulnerable to major droughts and severe water shortages. These new developments are accompanied by an increase in pests and diseases, shifts in animal behaviour and increased carbon dioxide levels that speeds the maturing of all plants. All together this offers a new - and potentially exciting - challenge for gardeners all around the world. This inspirational book looks at gardens in a new, more democratic way. No longer are we restricted to one specialist climate; we now have much wider access to many types of gardens and plants that we could previously only admire on holiday or from afar. The keynote approach of this unique new book is the garden styles of nine individual regions which have always dealt superbly with heat, drought and water shortage. Each one represents a part of the world with a gardening specialism that was established from its natural and specific weather patterns. All these garden styles are now open for new gardeners to sample - the Italianate Garden, the Islamic Garden, the Patio Garden, the Mediterranean Garden, the Gravel Garden, the Desert Garden, the Bush Garden, Cape Colour and the Jungle Garden. These range from the riotous colours of the Mediterranean garden and its naturally drought-proof plants, to the allure of the sun-baked Islamic garden with its creative harnessing of water and use of light and shade, and to the spiky architecture of the desert garden with its agaves, aloes, cacti and euphorbia. Each chapter explains the essence of the style, and its historical roots. Each includes a practical tutorial, a plant focus profiling characteristic plant forms, a colour planting plan and a step-by-step project. The many practical features include water-saving techniques in the garden, caring for silver-leafed plants and growing annual exotics from seed. The final chapter is a useful plant directory introducing the key plants from each region, along with cultivation and zonal information. The beautiful gardens photographed range from delightful small-scale gardens to world-famous locations such as the Tresco garden in the Isles of Scilly; the patio gardens of Cordoba, Spain; the desert gardens of Arizona; the Hamilton Gardens in New Zealand; and the Beth Chatto gravel garden in the UK. This is a critical read for any passionate gardener, offering a practical and inspirational insight into the classic gardens defined by sunshine, humidity and lack of water that will continue to inform the gardens of tomorrow.… (more)