IN THE GARDEN
autumn where the shortening days, cooling temperatures and turning of leaves indicate a time to tidy the garden, clear away the old and make way for the new. Watching and learning In a garden, being in tune with seasonal shifts, or nature’s calendar, can influence what we grow and how we grow it, but we needn’t limit observations to the seasons. Noticing a change in temperature and rainfall from one week to another can affect how we grow our plants and maintain our gardens. Low spring temperatures can impact sowing times for crops, while extended periods of drought influence not only watering regimes but also decisions about what we might grow in the future. Today, in a changing climate, observing nature’s calendar is more relevant than ever. In the past, seasonal changes in temperature, rainfall and day length were generally predictable, but small variations in climate can result in a shift in timing of ecological patterns, wildlife behaviour and ecosystems. The succession of heatwaves this year, combined with a prolonged drought, has affected not only human behaviour but also our gardens, wildlife, landscapes, ecosystems and farming. UK records show that oak trees now come into leaf one month earlier than they did in the 1950s, while snowdrops appear two months earlier than they did back then. For us as gardeners, this may mean a change in the appearance of our gardens, but for wildlife, such changes could be dramatic. Pollinators reliant on certain species for nectar might no longer have a food source, while insects that need oak trees for food or shelter may also struggle. In turn, the impact on food production may also be detrimental, with a fall in pollinators and periods of drought severely affecting crop yields. Since 2022, we have been carrying out a Phenology Project at Cambridge
COMING AND GOING Autumn crocuses can be found near Middle Walk at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden
80 OCTOBER 2026 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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