Blooming confusion for flowers as a result of climate change

In those more than 15 years climate change, and our effect upon it, are now almost universally accepted unless you are an immediate past incumbent of the White House or those dinos who still inhabit Trumpton.

Tuning-in to David Attenborough’s Green Planet (essential Sunday night viewing) graphically illustrated the incredibly complex and fragile links between plants and creatures and how temperature rise will break many of those chains.

Here, on the Isle of Wight, there has for many years been a study going on into what climate means on our ground.

Verbascum Ventnor Giant at the botanic garden.

On the first day of each new year the garden’s merry band combats hurty heads with counting flowers.

And it has shown that Ventnor Botanic Garden’s slogan that it is the UK’s hottest is increasingly the case but that there are other factors too connected with climate change that affect our flora, not least cloud cover associated with higher winter rainfall.

It all adds up to a mix that confuses us (do we wear a coat, raincoat, or shorts) but our plants don’t know where they are — whether they are in a temperate maritime zone, the Med or the sub-tropics.

This year the flower count at the garden was just 203 different flowers blooming, near an all-time low, compared to peak years of more than 250.

Extraordinarily mild winter weather has been recorded — 15 deg C on flower day.

That would perhaps be expected to draw more plants into flower; however, December’s light quality and quantity was poor due to overcast conditions.

Without the usual temperature drops associated with winter, a flowering requirement for many, spring blooms have remained tight in bud, so the flower count is largely late flowering plants rather than a mix of both early and late.

“Milder winters do not necessarily mean an increase in the numbers of flowers on any given day, but do allow growth of plants susceptible to frost,” says garden curator Chris Kidd.

“Analysis of our data shows that a count of 350 is possible in a plant collection whose strongest flowering season should be May onwards.

“A conclusion that can be drawn from the flower count this year is that Mediterranean native species have been more abundant than in most years, with Geranium Maderense, Verbascum lydium and two species of Acanthus recorded for the first time.

“Less favoured have been the Far Eastern shrubs, most of which are strongly dormant.

“Trends are hard to find in such a small sample, but compared against the data from many years of recording, the plants are telling a story of climate change.

“It is becoming increasingly difficult to exact a time of flowering for so many plants; magnolia could flower anywhere from Christmas Eve ‘til April and camellias named for their spring blooms fully open before mid-winter.”

Even at the most optimistic prediction of temperature rise confusion can only be expected to increase — by many degrees.

RICHARD'S TOP TIPS:

• Plan your vegetable plot. Consider good crop rotation to prevent pests and diseases building up in the soil.
• Remove yellowed leaves from winter brassicas — they are of no use to the plant and can harbour pests and diseases.
• Prepare the ground for early peas. Place a cloche over the soil this month to help warm up the ground for a few weeks before sowing.
• Force rhubarb plants by placing an upturned bin over the crown. A bucket isn’t quite tall enough. The tender pink stems, which will already be showing, will be ready in about two months’ time.
• Blitz weeds. Remove them — roots and all — from borders and veg patches. It’ll be easier before they get a real foothold. Tread on a board to avoid compacting heavy, sodden soil.
• When planning a new garden, remember that the bottom of slopes can remain frosty longer than higher ground.

Are you an Isle of Wight gardener with a question for Richard? You can email him on richryde@tiscali.co.uk