The sun is shining brightly, and the garden centre is bustling with activity. The aisles are lined with a variety of plants, shrubs, flowers, and herbs, all waiting to be taken home and planted in the garden. It’s a typical spring afternoon, and people are eager to bring their outdoor spaces to life with the vibrant colors of nature.
But, as the saying goes, “nothing is as it seems.” The reality is that climate change is having a profound impact on gardening, and people are having to rethink how they beautify their spaces. From heat domes to downpours, cold snaps to deep freezes, the weather is becoming increasingly unpredictable, and plants are struggling to keep up.
“The common theme is with the extremes that we’ve been getting … plants aren’t surviving. I think that’s really where it comes down to,” said Laura Dohney, store manager at Hunters Garden Centre in Vancouver. Dohney has seen firsthand the impact of climate change on plants, and she’s not alone.
- Heat domes are causing plants to wilt and die, while downpours are washing away newly planted flowers.
- Cold snaps are killing off trees and shrubs, and deep freezes are damaging delicate buds.
- Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, making it harder for plants to adapt to changing conditions.
“We have found that we’ve had to adapt our thinking,” said Barb Fraser, a longtime resident of Vancouver. Fraser and her husband, Dennis, have been gardening for years, but they’re having to rethink their approach in light of climate change.
“We try to look for plants that will survive cold snaps and high heat, and we’ve landed on some favourites like the boxwood shrub and rhododendrons,” said Fraser. The couple is not alone in their efforts to adapt to climate change. Many gardeners are turning to native B.C. plants, which are better equipped to handle the extreme weather conditions.
“If they’re good to grow in the Okanagan, they’re going to be fine to grow [in Vancouver] because they can handle the extremes,” said Andrea Bellamy, business development manager at Figaro’s Garden in East Vancouver. Bellamy has seen a surge in demand for native plants, and she’s not surprised.
| Native Plants | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Boxwood shrubs | Hardy and adaptable, can thrive in a variety of conditions |
| Rhododendrons | Resilient and low-maintenance, can handle extreme weather conditions |
| Conifers | Hardy and drought-tolerant, can thrive in a variety of conditions |
“What we thought we knew about gardening may no longer be true,” said Bellamy. “We’ve had to re-examine everything in the face of this weird weather we’re having.” Gardening centres are reporting an increase in people wanting to grow their own herbs, and the City of Vancouver is embracing native plants in its parks and gardens.
“It seems like seeds are moving more quickly than they have in the past few years,” said Bellamy. “I guess that speaks to the local … reducing-your-carbon-footprint kind of angle, too.” Regardless of the challenges climate change has brought, gardeners and experts show an eagerness to continue gardening and finding new ways to beautify their spaces.
“We’re just segueing back into what I would call the old standards — plants that have been around for a long time that have really shown that they can manage to make it through things.” — Andrea Bellamy, business development manager at Figaro’s Garden in East Vancouver
As the weather continues to become more unpredictable, gardeners will have to continue to adapt and find new ways to beautify their spaces.
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