Climate change from my point of view and what to do in our gardens part II

Since 2013 climate change became really visible in Flanders, Belgium. Before that it went slowly but as of 2013 you really could see and feel the changes. More dry summers, more heatwaves, wet and mild winters and spring starting earlier nearly each year. This doesn't mean we always had scorching hot and dry summers and very mild winters but with almost 50% increase it's still mind-blowing. From 2017 till 2023 we had one normal "Belgian" summer being 2021 with all others being way hotter combined with long periods of drought.

We had to start adjusting our garden to these hot and especially dry summers as we saw our ferns dying off, shrubs loosing foliage and even roses dying. You can water your garden on a daily basis during hot summers but it's a very costly business and it isn't sustainable is it? No, we had to make changes and we immediately decided to turn the garden into an ecological and sustainable place for us and wildlife to thrive, even during hot, dry summers. 

We already had three water Features, hedgerows made from willow twigs and pruning wood from the fruit trees, shrubs and roses. This already attracted a massive amount of wildlife and good beneficial insects. Chemicals got banned completely and the main theme was: What goes into the garden stays in the garden so we try to recycle everything.

If you want a drought resistant garden you know you have to protect your soil from drying out. The best way to do this is by mulching the soil with a thick layer of organic material. We use composted farm manure and garden compost and we make a thick layer of approx 15 cm or five inches. Each November we give a new layer. It prevents the soil from evaporating moisture during dry weather so your roses and perennials don't need extra watering the first weeks of drought.

Having plants which demand wet and moist soil isn't really a good option if you don't want to be a slave of watering each evening in summer. No, you need rather drought resistant plants and the mulching allows us to plant whatever thrives in normal soil. Once flowering shrub roses and ramblers, Tea and China roses, prairie perennials such as Echinacea, Rudbeckia, Helenium, Phlox, lavender, Perovskia (Russian sage), Geraniums, Penstemon and Salvia are just some examples of plants that will do well in dry conditions.

Of course we also have roses in pots and I can't escape watering them almost daily during hot dry weather but we use rainwater for this purpose. 

If you really want more beneficial insects and pollinators you have to choose those families of plants that are native to your home country. They don't have to be the wild varieties, the cultivated ones are just fine. Why? Our local wildlife has been living with our local flora for thousands of years and they get the most nutrients from these plants. So even when you fill up your garden with let's say blooming Agapanthus or Jasmine or other non native plants the pollinators will visit them but they can't get the same amount of nutrients from them than from local flowers. You can have non native plants of course but the majority must be local ones.

With these few tips you're already on your way to a sustainable garden ready for climate change.