Roses out, olives in: the new English garden in a time of climate crisis
It has survived for 400 years – the oldest of Britain’s botanical gardens, a haven of medicinal plants and ancient trees enjoyed through the centuries by famous names such as JRR Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. Yet after the Oxford Botanic Garden’s anniversary today things may look substantially different in future, due to the impact of the climate crisis on British weather.
“We have to consider very carefully what we plant for the future,” said Prof Simon Hiscock, the garden’s director. “Particularly so with trees, because you have to think of not just a few years but in some cases hundreds of years ahead.
With temperatures reaching 30C last week, the purple delphiniums and huge yellow verbascums were busy with bees in the shimmering heat, Hiscock said. “It’s doing fantastically well at the moment with this blazing sunshine and heat, and the plants are just loving it.
“We also need to look at what is going to happen to our landscape as we become warmer. The Mediterranean garden is certainly easier to maintain than a normal English garden.”
