As Ireland’s climate shifts, we should look to the Victorian era and the Mediterranean for inspiration
Planting for unpredictable weather that can cause droughts or floods is a challenge we must face
At the Irish National Stud and Gardens in Co Kildare, visitors have an expectation of perfection in every bed, border and tree-lined avenue.
The weather doesn’t always play ball, however, and as climate change brings ever increasing volatility, keeping the famous grounds looking their best is a growing challenge.
John Smyth, head gardener, has seen his share of setbacks and is determined to make the gardens resilient to whatever lies ahead.
“The biggest shock I’ve ever had is when I went to Wisley [one of Britain’s most famous public gardens] three summers ago,” he said.
“There was a drought and, flying over southern England, it was like flying over the Sahara.
“All the gardens were dead; the trees were dead; the hedges were dead. The only thing that was alive was the odd Mediterranean plant, like lavender and rosemary, and things in pots at hotels.
“Going up to London after, all the plane trees were dropping their leaves and homeless people were gathering them to lie on. It was very surreal.
The Japanese Gardens at the Irish National Stud and Gardens. Photo: Getty
“There was a big Jubilee garden event called the Superbloom at the Tower of London and basically everything had gone wrong for it.
“That was the summer where I came back and thought, ‘we’re going to go Mediterranean and they’re going to be growing grapes in Wexford, so we’ll have to plant for those conditions’.
“And then it rained for 12 months. So it left a big question: how can you plan for anything when everything’s changing?
“Our winters are definitely not as cold as they used to be. That's something I’ve noticed. But what if you get a freak winter?
“I worked at Belvedere Gardens [in Co Westmeath] before here and we had a big freeze one year where I lost 30pc of the plants.”
John Smyth, head gardener at the Irish National Stud and Gardens. Photo: Mark Condren
While Irish weather might be notoriously changeable, some changes have taken root.
“The day of the beech is over,” Mr Smyth said.
“They’re beautiful and they’re in almost every stud – we have an avenue of them here – but it’s just too dry for them now.
Scot's pine is an evergreen tree native to Ireland. Photo: Getty
“Evergreens are something for the future, I think, and Scots pine is something we could use more of.
“We already have it in Ireland and it will cope very well in hotter spells.”
In trying to protect his plants, Mr Smyth focuses on preserving his soils. He also plants in groups of different heights and types to create an umbrella effect that keeps the UV rays from scorching the ground. That’s the way wild places grow and it makes sense even in a landscaped garden.
In planning for erratic future weather conditions, Mr Smyth is looking to the past.
“The Victorians had a clever way of planting trees,” he said. “They used to plant in threes – one in a good place, one where it shouldn’t grow and one where it might grow.
“I think we need to do that with more species because then we’ll have our canopies, we’ll have our varieties, and we’ll also get to see what does well and where.
“As conditions change, we’ll have to keep adjusting.”