Town and City Gardens

Town and City Gardens : Global Warming and Gardening

The effects of climate change and global warming continue to grow and this year it looks like we may well experience some more unusual weather in our Town and City Gardens.

British gardeners could be left tending pomegranates and figs instead of apples and runner beans if climate change continues at the current rate, according to an academic model of likely conditions by 2050.

Traditional seasons will merge into a constant, largely warm climate by the middle of the century, says the study from the University of East Anglia, which also foresees year-round weeds, giant wasps and an end to the bluebell.

"The future looks extremely challenging if change continues at the present rate," said David Viner of the climatic research unit at East Anglia, which carried out the study for the satellite and cable TV channel UKTV Gardens. "If nothing is done to reduce the effects of global warming, we could be seeing the extinction of staple flowers and trees of the traditional British garden, including the bluebell and the oak." More >>

Is it our carbon footprint causing this weather? Channel 4 aired a programme during March which suggested no! the arguments of leading scientists who disagree with the prevailing consensus that carbon dioxide released by human industrial activity is the cause of rising global temperatures today.

That Earth's climate is changing and always has done is not disputed by anyone. That it is warming now is also not disputed by anyone. But some people think that the warming is our fault, whilst others believe we have nothing to do with it. (source Channel 4) More >>>

Gardeners and the Environment

Here at Town and City Gardens we are passionate about gardening, wildlife and our environment. Each day brings another news item detailing the damage which is being caused to our planet.

A little research indicates that "UK households produce the equivalent weight of around 245 jumbo jets per week in packaging waste. In fact, 3.2m tonnes of the 26m tonnes of household waste produced annually comes from packaging." (wasteonline.org) Do we really need this much packaging and waste ? And of course the story does not end when we chuck the packaging in the bin. It has to be dealt with and with much of the waste being plastics this is no easy job and has serious and long term implications for the environment we live in. Surely there must be more environmentally friendly ways of doing it ? We are interested to know your views on this topic - More>>

Town Garden : Drought Tolerant Plants

Tips for Drought Tolerant Planting from Town and City Garden

• Plants such as succulents and grey and silver-leaved plants are ideal for drought conditions
• Water with a can not a sprinkler and water early in the morning or late at night to reduce loss of moisture due to evaporation
• Weed often. Weeds will vie with your plants for valuable moisture
• Look after your soil, add organic matter or mulch such as mushroom compost, pine needles or leaf mould, which help to retain moisture and to ensure good drainage.
• Avoid more traditional bedding plants such begonias and fuchsias, which require a lot of watering
• Set up a water butt to collect rainwater
• Get ideas on drought tolerant plants for your Town Garden More>>

Need a Website?

To all those gardeners who need a website for their business or pleasure, we at Town and City Gardens have a special offer to you. Visit Total Ecommerce and mention this code in the Contact Page "MGUK001" and you will get 20% discount on their already low prices.

PlantKlips

This months featured product from Town and City Garden is the Plantklip. The Plantklip is the ultimate way to support your plants. Use on tall herbaceous perennials, rises, sweet peas and other climbers. Useful in the vegetable garden too. As the plant grows simply move the clip. Fantastic for Roses, clematis, sweet peas, climbing beans onto trellis and for tall perennials onto stakes. Fantastic value at only £5.00 for a ten pack. To purchase a Plantklip click here

Global Warming - Plants Emitting C02!

The really surprising finding came to the attention of the Town and City Garden team with the calculation that during the heat wave, European plants and their ecosystems were putting more carbon dioxide into the air than they were absorbing.

• The North Pole has risen in temperature by 3 degrees.
• Polar bear population has decreased by 25% over 20 years. Future bleak for polar bears Read More
• Temperature rise felt on Mountain Glaciers
• Enter our "For or Against" wind turbines poll
• Spring Getting Earlier
• Dundee gets its first wind Turbine.
• More Town and City Garden Global Waming facts >>

Town and City Gardens : May Gardening Tips

• Hanging baskets should be planted up now. Leave the soil surface concave, for easy watering later. Keep them inside for a few days and fairly dry, to encourage roots to establish. Finally hang them outside after a good watering on a still, dull day, water and feed on a regular basis.
• Sow winter savoy cabbages and beetroot, out of doors. Plant out summer cabbages and celery. Sow seeds of biennials such as canterbury bells sweet williams, and wallflowers.
• The young plants will be moved into position in the autumn, to give you a good display next spring.
• Prune bush peaches now, taking out dead wood and crossing branches. Try to keep an open centre. Thin overcrowded or badly placed fruits on peaches and nectarines. Watch out for encrustations of aphids on the new shoots. Spray in good time, above and below the leaves.
• After flowering, reduce some of the tangled growth of Clematis montana, if space is tight.
• Sow outdoors: French beans, runner beans, maincrop peas and kale. Cut shoots of asparagus on crowns at least 2 years old. Cucumbers can be planted into final position, in frames or greenhouse borders, or use growbags.
• Dig up early tulips and heel them in together somewhere, to dry off and ripen. Fork over the soil and give a handful of fertiliser ready for bedding plants.
• When the days are warm and the nights are warm, that is the time to apply selective weed-killers to lawns, against daisies, buttercups, clover, etc. Choose a mild, still day. Spot - treat only, if practical. Heavy infestations, however, will require the whole lawn to be sprayed.
• Keep watering, climbers when dry, and tie in young shoots to cover the desired space evenly.
• Keep indoor tomatoes growing on steadily, using a high-potash tomato feed. Remove side shoots as they appear.
• Support herbaceous plants as required, with pea sticks or canes and string. Stake delphiniums.
• More Town and City Garden Seasonal Tips