Goodness, what a tricky year it has been! Here in the West Midlands, we are about 30 minutes from Oxford, there has been next to no rain for about six weeks and the temperatures on and off have been ridiculously high. Today we are set for 30 degrees again.
As a consequence of the cutting garden has really suffered, no amount of hand watering can make up for rain, plants thrive when naturally watered by the rain, they just manage to survive when being kept alive by hand watering.
The irrigated beds are doing a bit better, but still not half as good as if they had had some rain. My soil is pretty good at retaining water but with these prolonged dry spells, no amount of mulching and organic matter can actually stop it drying out.
What I’ve really noticed is how some shrubs are really struggling now and I’ve had to give them the occasional can of water because they have been here for over 10 years now and I really don’t want to lose them as they take so long to establish.
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My plans for the future as this weather looks set to become the ‘norm’ is to increase my perennial beds, especially where there’s no irrigation, with drought tolerant plants and concentrate the annuals to grow in the irrigated beds.
The trouble with annuals is when you have a dry spring followed by a dry summer they just really struggle to get their roots down before the heat arrives. What you would hope for is a relatively cool spring with some rain to get them established so they can cope with the heat of the summer but for the last two years that just hasn’t happened.
Anyhow, here’s a quick look around the garden as it stands today with a naughty puppy by my side. I’d love to hear how your gardens are fairing if you have experienced similar weather this summer.
And I really feel for those in France and Spain that are suffering all these terrible fires. I can’t imagine losing your home and livelihoods and can’t begin to think of all the wildlife that has been affected by them, I think I’m getting off very lightly with beige lawn.
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