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We
need to first understand the difference between the
growing conditions in the United Kingdom and those
in the USA.
Briefly
put, the climate in the UK is temperate, lacking
weather extremes. Generally speaking, the plants in
England do not have to endure sustained deep
freezes, months of torrid heat and humidity, nor
frequent monsoon rains. Also, they don't have to
contend with deer, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons,
moles, chipmunks, opossum, groundhog and snakes
demolishing their flowerbeds.
The
wildlife in English gardens often tends to be
limited to birds and small rodents. Only residences
in or close to the 'country' are visited by
rabbits, badgers, fox and squirrels. Suburban and
urban communities are generally highly populated,
and as each garden (yard to us) is surrounded by a
wall, hedge or fence, unless wildlife can fly in,
gardens are generally free of 4-footed, furry
critters.
In
the 1960's, Miximitosis broke out in England.
Rabbits are the victims. To kill the disease, the
countryside was sprayed liberally with DDT, which
not only killed off practically all the wild rabbit
population, but also much of the wildlife and
wildflowers. Driving through the country, we had to
drive through DDT 'dips', and when hiking, we were
similarly required to walk through DDT 'dips' to
disinfect our boots.
With
the power of hindsight, DDT was found to be a very
hazardous substance, and in turn has been banned
from use or its use restricted. Much of the flora
and fauna have returned, but certainly not in the
abundance I enjoyed while growing up in England.
Hence the reduced influx of garden-demolishing
critters in their gardens - apart from the
occasional breakout of pet bunnies from their
garden hutches.
The
United Kingdom of Scotland, England, Wales and
Northern Ireland.
Click
on the map of the UK to view a zonal map of Europe.
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern
Ireland (six counties)
In
the UK (again generalizing), winter
temperatures rarely drop below
32ºF,
summer temperatures average
75ºF,
and the average annual rainfall is
29-inches. There are many days of light
rain, which is very nourishing for the
plants.
As
of April 2004, there was no official
gardening Zone map available to British
gardeners.
Using
the USDA Zones as a guide, gardening Zones
in the United Kingdom range from Zone 8 in
England and Wales, and Zones 5 to 6 in
Scotland, while portions of the southern
coastline of England fall into Zone 10.
These
are cold weather indicators, not heat
indicators.
In Ohio, Zone 6 where I garden in the Midwest, summer
temperatures reach the high 80's and at times into the 90's;
winter temperatures can be as low as
-10ºF
without the wind factor, and a rain storm can drop 1- to
2-inches of water in a given day. Ice storms are not
uncommon, coating the trees and shrubs with a limb-breaking
coating of ice.
We can suffer weeks without significant rainfall, temperature-changes within a 24 hour period can range within 30 to 40 degrees, and to add insult to injury, my property is solid clay.
To the average British gardener, our growing conditions might seem daunting if not impossible, but I have learned to overcome them. I grow English cottage gardens, and if I can be successful, so can you.
