Climate resilient planting in the Victorian Garden

The latest project for the Museum Garden Group is to change two areas bordered by paths and each with a bench for quiet contemplation. They will be developed to demonstrate cultivation and planting suitable for our changing climate.

With increased temperatures and less predictable rainfall there is an urgent need for UK gardeners to use plants with climate resilience. These can be readily available familiar garden plants, rather than more expensive and less available alternatives. Changing to sustainable techniques will reduce the amount of water and time needed to tend the plants. Starting in autumn 2022, the proposed areas will be designed to thrive and be colourful in dry conditions. It will also reflect volunteers’ available time and skills. The planting will be resilient to dry conditions using mostly flowering plants very attractive to pollinating insects. Progress will be recorded and regularly updated on the Museum website and Facebook, as well as in the Garden itself. The pictures below show the areas of the garden that will be changed.

The Garden is largely self-funded from the sale of plants propagated by the gardeners and it is hoped to have many of the plants chosen for the new area available for visitors to purchase.