Climate change does not stop at German gardens either. An expert explains how to get your garden fit for the future.
Climate change brings extreme weather phenomena with it, which thoroughly upset the previous concept of the German garden. We will have to say goodbye to many beloved classics in the long term. In her book “Survivors – plants that grow in any weather” the garden designer Simone Kern presents plant-based all-rounders that will be able to cope with the foreseeable climatic changes in the long term. In an interview with spot on news, she reveals how you can contribute to climate protection in your own garden and why we have to say goodbye to English lawns.
What concrete effects of climate change can you already observe from the perspective of a garden planner?
Simone Kern: You can see it in the extreme with the spring drought. Compared to earlier, there is very little rainfall in spring. This merry month of May, which used to be the waxing month par excellence, is no longer available. Mild winters mean that plants, especially woody plants, are in the sap and sprout earlier. If a late frost comes again, they are pushed back very hard and can even die. From my perspective, these are very serious aspects.
How will climate change affect the range of plant species in German gardens in the long term?
Kern: I would say there are losers and winners in our gardens. Among the losers are plants that we have come to love, such as hydrangeas or astilbes, i.e. plants that need a relatively high average humidity throughout the year. Due to the changed distribution of precipitation, they will simply disappear in the future. Then of course there are the winners. These are the plants that survive dry periods well.
How does the climatic shift change the interaction between plants and insects?
Kern: Due to the mild winters, it can happen that trees and shrubs flower much earlier than we are used to and, above all, the insect world would like. For example, the catkin willow, which in spring is an important source of pollen for wild bees, but also for honey bees. If it flowers extremely early and the respective bee population has not yet hatched, then in the worst case this willow has already faded and is no longer available. In general, we have noticed that some plants flower shorter due to spring drought and heat. Then, of course, there is less food available for the insects.
What can everyone contribute to climate protection in their own garden?
Kern: How we deal with water is an important topic. You should try to set up a cistern or at least a rain barrel in the garden to have a storage option. We are very careless with rainwater. In general, sealing should be kept as low as possible. Trees are also incredibly important in the garden. It is now known that trees in the city significantly reduce the temperatures, it is assumed that at least five degrees. And of course it’s the same in the garden. The most pleasant shade is the natural shade and not the shade of an awning, under which the heat collects in the end, which is then rather counterproductive. In my opinion, trees are the lever to reduce the climate in general, but also in your own garden, and to make heat phases bearable. If we think of Italy or France: That’s where people sit under the plane trees in summer and that’s where life happens.
In your book you describe the “garden of the future”. What characteristics must a sustainable German garden have?
Kern: As already mentioned, we generally have to think about the topic of resources in our own garden and on our doorstep. I had already mentioned water, but the soil is also incredibly important. The soil is the basis for the vegetation that grows on it, so it must be treated with care. The garden of the future is very, very green, with lots of plants and little sealing. When choosing plants, it is not only important that the plants should be climate-resilient, but also support animals.
In your book you describe “survivors” of the plant world – particularly robust plants with a wide range of locations. What role will these plant species play in the garden of the future?
Kern: I’ve been dealing with dried plants for a long time and perhaps focused too much on this one topic for a long time. But we also have phases with heavier rain events, like at the moment, when a lot of water comes down within a short period of time. In the case of the pure dry heroes, this can lead to the roots rotting or fungal diseases developing. A large range of locations means that these plants tolerate both drought and very high rainfall for short periods. Another aspect is the soil on which the plants can grow. That the plant grows on clayey garden soil, but also on sandy, well-drained soil. An example is the black mullein, a great native plant that blooms all summer long. Other all-rounders are the columbines, which grow in the shade as well as in the sun, on poor as well as rich soil.
What about “survivors” from other climate regions that are not yet at home here?
Kern: We should definitely look at other regions where the climate is traditionally more extreme. For example in the Caucasus, a region with very high rainfall on the one hand, but also very dry, hot phases and severe frosts in winter. You can very well find something there. For example with the Caucasus comfrey or the Caucasus cranesbill. In my planning, I always try to use as many native plants as possible, but you have to try other plants as well. That’s why my planting concepts always include new plant species. Because it’s all new – we don’t have the experience. We’re going to be faced with a whole new situation, and that’s a long-term thing.
The standard in German gardens is the lush green lawn. Do the Germans have to say goodbye to him in the long term?
Kern: Classic lawns definitely have no future. One would have to work more with irrigation systems, which will be banned in many regions in the foreseeable future. When looking for alternatives, you should first consider why you actually have a lawn. You can overturn the argument that you have less work with it, because that is not true. Lawn is anything but labor intensive. If you have areas in the garden that you never enter anyway, you can work with perennials here, which actually do not require much work. Instead of a lawn you can create a meadow – a real native meadow with herbs. Meadow plants mostly have taproots, which means that they can get their food from far below. Grasses are predominantly flat-rooted. I think creating a herb meadow is a great alternative.