Help the RHS understand how climate change is affecting UK gardens
What patterns and surprises have you observed in your garden? Take part in a survey to share your experiences and contribute to scientific research
A new collaborative PhD project aims to explore what the future of UK gardening could look like, how gardening practices could shift in a changing climate, and which plants are the most resilient in order to help us futureproof our gardens.
Have you noticed your roses blooming better in recent years – stronger blooms, deeper colours and more repeat flowering? Or perhaps you’ve had a disappointingly damp spring, with the daffodils and tulips struggling to make it through the puddles that shouldn’t really be there. Have you watched that clump of primroses by the front door flower earlier and earlier each year, or are you confused as to why the Magnolia blossom escaped the frost this year, when last year your Choisya was decimated by it?
Gardening has always been interesting and challenging, but as more unusual weather patterns become the norm, it is increasingly important to understand how our plants respond and to plan ahead by predicting what further climate change will mean for the plants we want to grow in our gardens.
In an exciting new collaborative project with the Universities of Sheffield and Reading, RHS PhD student Elle Chmiewliski is exploring how climate change is affecting our garden plants, both in terms of what we are already observing, but also what may happen in future. We are calling for UK gardeners to share their views and experiences to help us build a nationwide picture of the shifts and patterns being observed in gardens across the UK.
Elle has developed a survey to assess gardeners’ thoughts about climate change, and how it already is affecting, and will continue to affect, our garden plants and gardening habits. Find out how to take part below.
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The questionnaire is part of a PhD research project run by the RHS and the Universities of Sheffield and Reading. The project aims to better understand the implications of climate change on gardening, our gardening habits, and what sort of plants may be most appropriate for a changing UK climate.
The research builds on previous work carried out by the RHS, which informed key reports such as ‘Gardening in a Changing Climate’ and ‘Gardening in the Global Greenhouse’. Key objectives from the new research are to understand:
- How plants cope with the stress factors associated with a changing climate – e.g. excessively wet soils, periods of drought, higher temperatures and greater wind speeds
- What can gardeners learn from nature – for example, what sorts of plants can cope with both drought and waterlogging within a relatively short period of time when growing in their natural environment
- What gardeners are doing to help adapt their gardens to a changing climate
Sharing your experiences in your own garden will contribute towards setting the direction of the PhD and assessing UK gardeners’ attitudes and resilience to climate change.
The survey should take 10-15 minutes to complete. Results will be shared on the RHS website and in The Garden in due course.
How do I take part?
The survey can be accessed below. The survey closes on 15 October 2024.
Please note: This survey is being run by the University of Sheffield. When you click on ‘Take part’, you are leaving the RHS website, and will be subject to the University of Sheffield’s Participant Information Sheet and its Privacy Notice. Please read the University of Sheffield Participant Information Sheet and Privacy Notice for more information on how they will process your personal data and how you can exercise your rights under the Data Protection Legislation.
