Yuccas and olive trees replace asters and phlox.

Decking and paved patios will have to go. (TIMES 24/08/07)

Until recently I lived in Folkestone, Kent, on the South-East corner of England. 15 years ago my cultivated scented violets flowered once a year, in spring. Then it became Spring. By the time we moved they flowered 4 times a year, thanks to Climate Change and Global Warming.
Each year the front lawn went brown with giant cracks across it. The house faced south, bedding plants withered and died. We even had a desperate blackbird flatten himself with wings outstretched to be watered by our watering can. That had to be desperation!

I sought and found some local solutions. Spring bulbs were planted at depth to prevent drying out. When finished for the year the dead leaves were left in place to shield the buried bulbs from overheating from the sun. Roses were planted and grass cuttings used as a mulch. Then plants like Rosemary and Lavender were planted instead of Allisum & Lobelia. That still left the lawn. My answer – artificial grass. It’s great, no cutting, stays green, safe for children, animals like it and it has hidden holes to let the rain through. Not only that but it uses recycled rubber tyres. Admittedly,there was one problem I couldn’t solve, that was the photochemical smog that sat over Folkestone for much of the summer. This was from the petrochemical industry across the English Channel along the French Coast. Not only do they sell us their petrochemical products and electricity, they send us their pollution FREE. My answer? move house. So we did 275miles to Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire! Now Beverley has been awarded the accolade of being the best place to live in the UK. We agree. Great small traditional shops, racecourse, large area of common land, a great variety of birds, the hedgehogs have just become parents and the fox drops by for snacks each night. No food ever goes to waste. There is even a natural meadow opposite the Minster, heifers and bullocks are nursed or fattened there. We walk past this meadow on the way to town in the knowledge that it will always be there as there are archeological remains beneath it.

Given the chance I will rabbit on for ever. Why not comment on the headline and let us all know how you have solved similar problems. EG. How do you solve the problem of waste food? How has your garden had to change in recent years since Global Warming started to affect it? Have you moved home to a better environment and why? (Except disputes with neighbours please).