My Global Garden

UK vines enjoy climate change

1. September 2010

September is traditionally the month for harvesting grapes. 2010 looks set to be an excellent year for English wine producers.The copious southern sunshine and a climate that continues to warm mean a potentially bumper harvest and a growth in the number of reds and unblended wines being produced here. It appears that English winemakers are beginning to [...]

Catch the rain

22. August 2010

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The South East is exepcting a stormy and wet night with a severe weather warning issued by the Met Office and up to 8cm (3in) of rain expected to fall as well as fears of flash flooding. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/aug/22/severe-weather-southern-england With heavy rainfall it is a good time to think about the value of harvesting some of this precious [...]

Charles’ Green Garden Party suggests shorter showers

19. August 2010

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Charles’ Green Garden Party suggests shorter showers

Prince Charles is using his new green campaign to urge everyone to take shorter showers. Start, an initiative from the Prince’s Charities Foundation, has published 20 easy ways to go green as part of his 12-day festival of imaginative ways to promote a sustainable future. The list of instructions includes: “Start having shorter showers.” http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23868476-charless-garden-party-to-teach-us-to-be-green-and-take-short-showers.do ANOTHER IDEA IS TO…. RE-USE [...]

Weather chaos and climate change

17. August 2010

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Floods in Pakistan, drought in Russia and record temperatures across the USA during summer 2010 raises the question whether these far-flung disasters are connected and if global warming is causing such weather extremes. The collective answer of the scientific community can be boiled down to a single word: probably. “The climate is changing,” said Jay Lawrimore, chief of climate [...]

Grow your Own Tomatoes

16. August 2010

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This is a great year for tomatoes. I am busy harvesting a bumper crop from my little space in The Village Allotment on the South Coast. Green or red - it doesn’t matter what colour - they all go to making chutneys, salsas, sauce or are eaten in delicious home grown salads. Anyone can grow tomatoes - [...]

Climate changes UK fruit farms

15. August 2010

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Dr Chris Atkinson, head of science at East Malling Research Centre in Kent, which has been collecting climate data since 1913, said the climate was a big determinate when growing fruit because temperature and rainfall had a big impact on crops. The climate data shows that the seasons have been getting longer [...]

Grow your own and bake bread to make a difference

11. August 2010

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Grow your own and bake bread to make a difference

Wheat prices are rising as a result of severe drought in Russia this summer which could have an ongoing effect on the world’s food chain. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-10859883 Beat the unpredictable global weather this summer by growing your own food and baking your own bread.http://www.allotment.org.uk/allotment_foods/bread-making/index.php

How green is Brighton?

4. August 2010

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Brighton is building a green reputation. It has elected Caroline Lucas as the UK’s first ever green MP. http://www.carolinelucas.com/cl/blog.html It even offers green activities to tempt holiday-makers. http://www.visitbrighton.com/site/your-brighton/green What a shame that Brighton sea-front does not live up to its green credentials. Compared to its neighbour Eastbourne, just along the South Coast, the promenade in Brighton has very few attractive plants [...]

London park tackles climate change

3. August 2010

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If you have read this week’s blogs about London’s open spaces adapting to climate change, then you will be pleased to hear that there is to be a model example for local councils to follow. Details have just been announced about the creation of an East London park which is being designed to take into account [...]

London goes bananas

2. August 2010

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London has enjoyed humid temperatures into the high 20c for the past month. The banana trees planted in Russell Square that I blogged about back in May are looking spectaucular - this photo reminds me more of a scene from one of Madrid’s beautiful squares rather than Bloomsbury. We could see more of this type of [...]