Met Office
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Climate change - making your garden grow
Our climate is changing and for many gardeners the first evidence of this can already be seen in gardens across the UK. Seasons are already changing with spring now arriving up to six days earlier than a decade ago and autumn ending up to two days later.
Research, undertaken by the Met Office Hadley Centre, has also found that the growing season of plants is likely to increase by around forty days by 2080, due to the earlier start to spring and later end to autumn.
By 2080 our summers are likely to be both warmer and drier with an increased risk of drought. Winters too will be milder, but are likely to be wetter as well. A decline in the likelihood of frosty nights and increased rainfall mean gardeners may need to be more concerned with water-logged roots rather than frost damage.
Met Office climate change experts have teamed up with RHS Garden Wisley to create the Climate Change Dome at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show next week. The Met Office and RHS will be giving daily presentations on the changing climate and the threats and opportunities for gardeners.
Visitors will also be able to see simulations of climate in the future; the facts about climate change; film their own weather forecast for the future and see the special 'bug zoo' showing some of the bugs and wildlife which may be threatened by, or even thrive under, a changing climate.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Faster UK Gardeners need to cut their lawns almost two weeks earlier than they did in 2001
Slower The yield of fruit trees is reduced when the buds fail to break in mild UK winters
Wetter January rainfall could increase by 25% in Central and Southern England by 2080
Drier July rainfall could decrease by 45% in South West England by 2080
Earlier Spring has advanced by 2-6 days per decade in the UK
Later Autumn has been delayed by 2 days per decade in the UK
* The Met Office is the UK's National Weather Service, providing 24x7 world-renowned scientific excellence in weather, climate and environmental forecasts and severe weather warnings for the protection of life and property.
* The Met Office Hadley Centre is the UK's foremost centre for climate change research. Partly funded by Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and the Ministry of Defence.
* Research into the length of the growing season was published in the Journal of Climate, vol 20, issue 21. pp 5441-5454, in November 2007.
* The RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show runs from 8th to 13th July 2008.
* Further information on the facts behind climate change and gardening can be found at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/hadleycentre/gardening/index.html http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/myths/ http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/hadleycentre/gardening/impacts.html
