Unforeseen weather patterns and seasonal changes have frequently derailed gardeners’ meticulously crafted plans. Yet, you’re not the only one who feels that the current climate seems notably different from just a few years back. Heatwaves are stretching out, heavy rains are interspersed with prolonged droughts, and new pests are proliferating, feasting on what were once your garden’s carefree plants.
Before you throw in the towel in despair, there’s a silver lining. It’s entirely feasible to craft what experts term a “climate-resilient garden,” one that can navigate all these challenges with ease.
Kier Holmes is a landscape architect and co-author of “Designing the Lush Dry Garden.”
As the name suggests, a climate-resilient garden is capable of enduring droughts, floods, and other severe weather events without sustaining long-term damage.
“A climate-resilient garden is a method that respects and aligns with your local environment,” explains Kier Holmes, a landscape architect and co-author, along with Cricket Riley and Alice Kitajima, of “Designing the Lush Dry Garden.” “It’s a garden that is both sustainable and adaptable to the unpredictable shifts in climate.”
Establishing a climate-resilient garden isn’t about predicting what nature will throw at you next; it’s about crafting a space that can adapt and flourish in uncertain conditions. It’s also a reminder that our gardens are part of a vast ecosystem that extends beyond our property lines.
“Gardening with climate resilience in mind is crucial because our gardens are just a small piece of a much larger picture, and we must think beyond our personal spaces and horticultural dreams,” Holmes asserts.
Holmes suggests the following strategies as essential for cultivating a garden that can withstand challenging weather.
Whether you’re starting a new garden or renovating an existing one, the first step in climate-resilient gardening is a comprehensive site assessment. Whether you do it yourself or with a professional landscape designer, take the time to understand your garden’s layout. Note where the sun reaches, how water flows after heavy rain, and which creatures frequent your space. This can set you up for success before you begin digging.
Once you’ve completed your analysis, research which plants will thrive in your environment. Look into your hardiness zone and plants from similar climates, and take a walk around your neighborhood to see what’s flourishing. The aim is to identify plants that are suitable for your climate-resilient design.
In their book, Holmes and her co-authors explain that planting with your site conditions in mind offers numerous benefits, such as conserving resources like water and fertilizers, saving money, and having a positive environmental impact. “However, ultimately, by focusing on resilience, you’ll spend more time enjoying your garden and less time struggling to keep it going,” they write.
Take the time to learn about your soil, particularly its type (like clay, sand, or loamy) and its existing nutrients. You don’t need to be a soil scientist to understand your soil. A simple home test can get you started, or you can send samples to an expert for more detailed information. Be sure to test multiple areas of your garden, as you might be surprised by the variations even a few feet apart can cause.
With your soil results in hand, you can make any necessary adjustments and make more informed decisions about the types of plants that will thrive in your garden. Testing can also prevent over-fertilizing, which can harm your local environment and cost you money.
“A garden is resilient if it can withstand weather fluctuations and still thrive,” Holmes and her co-authors note in their book. “One of the keys to a garden having this strength (and being lower maintenance) is for the soil to be appropriate for the plant palette and vice versa.”
Another aspect of being an effective home gardener is being realistic about how much time you can actually dedicate to your plants. In those picturesque winter months, it’s easy to envision rising early every spring and summer morning to water your garden by hand. However, maintaining this practice in reality might be more difficult.
Given this, Holmes and her co-authors advise installing an irrigation system, as it’s the most efficient way to provide water to your plants. They also point out that irrigation systems can save money and water.
Whether you opt for a drip or low-flow rotor sprinkler system depends on your plants, location, and personal preferences. Drip irrigation is often considered the most efficient choice, but Holmes notes that it introduces more plastic into your landscape. Ultimately, weigh the pros and cons to make the best decision for you and your garden.
Choosing plants that thrive in your region and are suited to your garden’s unique light, soil, and topographical conditions is crucial. While it’s important for a climate-resilient garden to focus on native plants, it’s not a strict requirement.
Holmes emphasizes that plants native to your region are significant because they are adapted to your local climate and conditions. They also support local ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and offer essential ecological benefits. This doesn’t mean you should discount non-native plants from other regions with similar weather and growing conditions. Many Mediterranean and South African plants, for instance, flourish in the San Francisco Bay Area’s temperate climate.
“You can find non-native, climate-appropriate plants that are experts at conserving water, yet also hardy, visually appealing, and pollinator-friendly,” Holmes says. She adds, “We believe that a thoughtful combination of native and non-native plants can work together to create an attractive and climate-resilient garden rich in color, texture, pattern, and year-round appeal.”
For her clients in Marin County, Holmes prefers a blend of California native and non-native plants, including salvias, agaves, aloes, and manzanitas. “I’m also drawn to plants that are excellent at multitasking,” she says. “Plants that can serve multiple purposes like feeding pollinators, producing unique cut flowers, conserving water, requiring low maintenance, and resisting deer browsing.”
Holmes and her co-authors describe mulch as the “fancy topping on the cake” that brings a garden together and gives it a polished, professional appearance. But there’s more to mulch than just aesthetics. It also plays a significant role in creating a garden that can withstand the rollercoaster of climate change.
Mulch covers exposed soil, protecting it from erosion. It also slows down evaporation, keeping the ground moist, and saves valuable water. Additionally, it suppresses weeds and supports a vibrant soil microbiome teeming with fungal, insect, and earthworm activity.
“Mulch is one of gardening’s oldest techniques to shield plant roots from cold, heat, and drought as well as to promote healthy mycorrhizal (fungal) activity in the soil,” Holmes and her co-authors state.
