Changing growing conditions have affected the management of Trelissick Garden in Cornwall.
The garden traditionally opened on 1 April but now opens on 1 February, to give visitors the opportunity to enjoy early spring colour.
Lawn maintenance continues for 12 months of the year in this moist, mild Cornish climate, providing an indication of what can be expected elsewhere in the country in the years ahead.
Rain now comes in more intense bursts, causing paths to be washed out. This necessitates a change in the character of the garden, as it moves away from traditional loose gravel surfaces to bonded surface paths, using concrete and crushed stone aggregates.
Property Manager at Trelissick, Chris Curtis, and Head Gardener, Barry Champion, have witnessed significant change in recent years, as Barry reports:
'We are now seeing well over 100 species in flower here at the turn of the year, and many summer flowering plants will bloom in winter alongside early flowering spring plants. Pests and plant disease also seem to be on the increase.'
Chris identifies some of the pros and cons of climate change at Trelissick:
'Whereas we used to open for the season in April we are now open all year so that visitors can enjoy early spring flowering. That’s good for business, but we now have to cut the lawns virtually all year round in this mild Cornish climate which is time-consuming and costly.'
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