My garden barely survived this summer’s heatwave – here are 6 changes I’ll be making next year

Amanda Jones is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on sustainable living and decorating a home in way that is good for the environment. See the rest of her articles here.

As a passionate gardener, the autumn has always been a time for me to reflect on the growing year. To look at what has worked well and implement any changes in the following year. I garden following permaculture methods. One of the principles of permaculture, is ‘observe and interact’. Observation causes us to pause, which I feel, ensures we make the best decisions.

This summer has been brutal. The relentless heat and drought have taken its toll on garden, and gardener. This year has been the hottest, driest I’ve ever known, and that is said from a child who played through the summer of 1976. This summer has also taught me about what our future summers could be like, as the climate crisis unfolds.

Scientists are telling us that the growing ‘El Nino’ is the most significant one in recorded history and warning us that next year could potentially be hotter, and drier than this. Autumn and winter could also be wetter than usual, if that is the case, then I’m going to have to make some changes in how I garden. My observations from this year, need to inform future years.

1. Water harvesting

What I thought to be a ‘good enough’ rainwater supply, ran out far too quickly. I have 3 large water butts, and 4 large bins I store rainwater in. Usually these keep me ticking over, however by mid-July, they had all run dry, except for the one I use to top up my little pond. I believe there will be an increasing pressure, to learn to how to harvest more rainwater. We live a country that has a lot of rainfall, we really should not be in drought over the summer.

As a nation, with our changing climate, our winters are more likely to be wetter than before, we need to learn to adapt, and quickly. Rainwater capture also helps prevent flooding and provides resilience towards future droughts. Whilst I can’t change what governments do, I can try and increase my own water supply, I just need to work out the best way to do this.

2. More polycultures

Like so many of us, I lost some crops, some plants really struggled, whilst some thrived. I have 12 raised beds in my garden, and most of them are now polycultures, a mixed way of growing food and flowers, that is beneficial environment for them.

The larger plants shaded and protected the smaller plants. There was a kind of symbiosis going on, the plants were helping each other in ways I couldn’t see.

3. More shade

Several crops fried, especially those with tender leaves. I really need to introduce more shade, through intercropping plants, like in polycultures, but also by introducing some shade cloth too.

This winter I’ll be looking into what type of shading is best, what is the most effective way to use it in the garden and making sure I’ve bought some before the heat of next summer.

4. More food forest

One area that coped surprisingly well was my small food forest. I have 4 fruit trees, surrounded by a guild of supporting plants, some edible, some beneficial to pollinators, some good for soil health. The plants have supported one another, and the trees have offered much needed shade.

I will be looking at introducing more edible crops into these guilds over this next year. The shading of the trees also cooled that part of the garden too, which was lovely.

5. More mulch

Providing any bare soil with a good layer of mulch is essential in dry, hot weather. It stops the soil heating up, eroding away, and retains what precious moisture the soil already has.

I use homemade compost, leaves and bark as mulch, but one of my favourite methods is ‘chop and drop’. This is a permaculture practice that essentially mimics nature. When you prune a plant, or deadhead a flower, instead of removing the detritus to the compost bin, you simply chop it up and put it directly onto the ground surrounding the plant. So much easier, and time effective than normal composting methods.

6. More diversity

Wildlife and biodiversity are at the heart of how I garden. This summer, I’ve been even more mindful of the creatures and plants that share my garden with me. I’ve ensured that there are plenty of watering stations around the garden for insects, birds and the mammals that need them, topping up daily. Our small pond has been vital to the frogs and toads.

Earlier in the year I stopped feeding the birds, on the advice of the RSPB, as viruses are often transmitted through birdfeeders. This makes it even more important we cultivate plants, (and insects) that feed our birds. Autumn has come very early this year; due to the stress the plants have experienced by the drought. I’m concerned the fruits and berries, that usually sustain them over winter won’t be available when the birds need them most in the depth of winter. I need to ensure I put more plants in the garden that are a natural food for birds, so they rely less on birdfeeders.

The climate is changing, and it’s destabilising our weather, patterns that we have relied on for millennia are no longer guaranteed. The old methods of gardening may not be fit for purpose, in our new unpredictable future. We are all going to need to adapt, and quickly.

Imagine a world where EVERY garden, supports wildlife, encourages biodiversity. Imagine a world where EVERY garden, had rich life-giving soil, that that locks in carbon. Imagine a world where EVERY garden has trees to absorb the heat, provide shade, and cools the environment. Just imagine how different things could be.