Have you a palm tree in your garden? (Climate change and the changing face of the English garden)
In a recent survey of 1,000 gardeners the Waste & Resource Action Programme, a government funded body, found that gardeners are increasingly turning to less thirsty species, such as palm trees and banana plants that would have perished in years gone by.
Climate change is seemingly forcing homeowners to replace struggling native plants and flowers with these more exotic species.
Old favourites such as Lupins, which need plenty of moisture in the soil, are now in decline. 60% of respondents reported spring bulbs blooming earlier. Half said they started cutting their lawns earlier with a third indicating the lawn needed mowing more frequently.
More than 35% of those surveyed expressed concern that some native plants may no longer flourish as a result of climate change.
Experts claim that summer temperatures in England could rise by up to three degrees by 2050 with 35% less rainfall.
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