A Warming Climate and What that Means for The Garden
It is late October and I have hydrangea bushes just starting to bloom. Plants that I have deadheaded are reblooming. Those which I have neglected are still desperately trying to bloom. And none of this should be happening. As I walk around the garden, so many plants are pushing out new flowers - either fully reblooming, or just a simple flower or two, but blooming nonetheless. The thing is - this is highly unusual. Normally, by this time of the year, the garden would simply be seeing the stragglers waving for attention, or the odd bloom here and there - perhaps even just the seasonal color of freshly planted autumn mums or pansies. Never did we see reblooming echinacea and phlox and other summer flowering perennials. In years past, such flowers were long gone and simply memories of the previous months.
Now, the days are warmer than they ever used to be. Summer lingers. Fall is not so harsh. And even winter is not like it used to be. That certainly does not mean that any of those seasons cannot roar, but more times than not, they are different. So different, in fact, that the USDA Hardiness Zones were recently changed to acknowledge the temperature increase. Our garden used to be in Zone 6 and now we have jumped up an entire level to Zone 7. And while it may be slightly appealing to realize that I still have summer annuals blooming in the containers in my back garden, it is also disconcerting to realize that only a few years ago - at this time of the year - they would have long ago ‘given up the ghost’ and would have already been put on the compost pile. As it stands today, I am still watering those same plants because they are living and blooming; and I am watering them because the rain has been scarce this past month - following months of more rain than usual - further highlighting unusual and changing weather patterns - which all point towards climate change and global warming in general.
I realized a few years ago, when I was taking a walk in the park in January with no coat on because the temperature was so warm, that things were drastically changing and becoming ‘different’. January in New Jersey used to mean piles of snow and frigid temperatures that rarely said goodbye until spring. Now, while we may experience a blizzard one day, the next weekend could see temperatures in the 60’s or 70’s. The current temperature cycle does fluctuate, but definitely tends towards warming. One only needs to look at the melting of the polar ice caps to realize how severe an issue we, as humankind, are now facing. So what exactly does that mean for our plants? And how best do we garden when all of the rules are changing?
First of all, warming temperatures mean that we can grow things that we once could not (I am even leaving in my dahlia tubers this year just as an experiment to see if they make it through the winter without having to be dug up). And growing new things is certainly a good thing. But that also means that some of the things that we are used to growing will not be able to be grown. Not all plants need hot weather and heat. Some of our favorites tolerate the colder temperatures much better and will not be able to be planted in our gardens as the zones shift.
It seems that we are currently in a ‘give and take’ period, where there are both benefits and losses - garden wise, at least. I love having the ability to plant some new things, but will surely be sorry to see others struggle. And while we may not all notice such extremes immediately, over time, our gardens will certainly reflect this change. Personally, all that I need to do in order to see how things are changing is to walk outside into my own garden - and to see things blooming that should not be - to realize that I have no need for any coat in October - to see that the leaves of the oak tree are still completely green. Yes, all that I need to do is to walk outside into my own garden, and from there, I fully understand.
Even in late October, many of my flowers are either blooming or reblooming as if it were the ‘height of summer’
So, what are we to do? As gardeners in particular, and human beings in general, there are many things that we can do to stop the dramatic change in our climate - far too many for me to write here in this one blog post. I would only suggest that we all be aware, or become aware, and that we try to do something beneficial in order to slow, alter, or stop the environmental change that we are currently witnessing. And that which may be most beneficial of all - and certainly a very good start - is to simply not deny the facts to begin with; education is a priority! Let us educate ourselves, and then pass that knowledge on to our friends and family.
The most recent scientific research clearly points the blame at us - human activity, fossil fuels, and our general, overall consumption. Yes, we are melting the icecaps, creating severe and dangerous weather, and basically wreaking havoc on our planet. Warming temperatures and flooding are becoming our new normal. Fires are raging in California, even as I write this. Historic storms have recently been felt around the world. None of this is normal. And none of this is any good, to say the very least. And it is certainly not good for our gardens, either. A few sunny days are a great thing, but the reality of permanent temperature increases and drastic weather fluctuations globally only means bad news for gardens in general. Or, at least for the gardens as we know them, and how we are used to planting and tending them, as all of the rules are regularly changing.
And while it may be lovely to stroll outside in late October and to have the day feel as if it were early September, I realize that means something. To see my summer flowers still blooming well into fall - as pretty as they may be - that means something. Here in New Jersey we have just experienced extended months of unusually wet weather, followed by an extremely dry September - that too means something. When the neighborhood brook either dries up or overflows its banks - that means something. And for gardeners - when your hardiness zone completely changes - that really means something. Hopefully, our path is not so off course that we cannot change. Of course there are those people that absurdly fight the science, but I have good faith that most of us will come around sooner than later. Perhaps our past mistakes may not be able to be altered, but our future behaviors certainly can be mindfully made.
Until next time…