Chelsea Flower Show garden from Arbroath via Riviera may show Scotland's future
Scotland’s gardeners may need to adopt a more Mediterranean style if the current dry spell becomes the new norm
Amid the ongoing concern about water scarcity in once predictably damp Scotland, many green-fingered folk have been praying for rain.
This has been the driest start to a year in Scotland since 1964 – a situation that has prompted official warnings not to waste water and to avoid using naked flames or having outdoor barbecues because of the risk of starting a wildfire.
Among various water-saving measures, gardeners have been asked to use watering cans instead of hoses to keep their parched plants alive. But faced with a young weeping willow that seems all cried out, the temptation to give it a good soak must be hard to resist.
However, should the current dry conditions become the new normal, the Chelsea Flower Show may have a radical solution. It is featuring a garden inspired by the sands of Arbroath with “a focus on dramatic dune topography and evocative, resilient... planting” that has “a strongly coastal and Mediterranean theme”.
The Angus coast as the new Riviera? You heard it here first. Expect luxury yachts, film stars in sunglasses and dodgy art dealers any time soon.
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