Homes and gardens suffer as Britain heats up

Four-out-of-five (80%) garden centre managers report increasing numbers of customers with subsidence concerns in the last twelve months, according to new research from Halifax Home Insurance.

With the Met Office predicting above average temperatures this summer, Halifax Home Insurance warns this could lead towards increased numbers of subsidence claims. In prolonged dry weather the root systems of plants can extract those last few free drops of water in the soil, bringing about subsidence, potentially destabilising house foundations.

The majority of British garden centres have witnessed a dramatic increase in customers reporting the death of well established traditional British plants in the last year. Three-quarters (76%) of centre managers have also witnessed an increase in demand for exotic specimens such as, bamboos and palms over the period. In response to this 44% said that they have started to stock greater varieties of plants suited to a Southern European climate.

Neil Curling, senior manager of structural claims at Halifax Home Insurance, said: “Last year’s water restrictions highlighted the threatening conditions for subsidence. With Britain having already experienced unprecedented high temperatures in 2007, and an extremely dry April, we are concerned that increasing numbers of properties could be affected and are urging householders to be vigilant to this threat.”

“Green-fingered Britons planting new exotic species, should carefully research the impact they could have on their garden and their home. Britons may be unaware of the appropriate distance to plant an exotic species away from their property to ensure the tree or shrub’s root system does not cause subsidence later down the line as the roots take water out of the soil. Just cutting back a tree or shrub to the size it was last year may be enough to keep subsidence at bay during an average summer and save the anxiety, inconvenience and cost of subsidence damage. If severe drought approaches then more radical cutting may be required. ”

Over half (53%) of Britain’s garden centre managers say that the water restrictions over the past twelve months have had a negative impact on sales of plants – quoting a 10% decline in sales in the last twelve months alone. Increasing numbers of British gardeners may turn to planting species suited to a Southern European climate if temperatures continue to rise and the country witnesses increased water restrictions.

Plants expected to perform better as the British climate warms up

Cordyline (Torbay palm)
Yucca
Aizoaceae Carpobrotus (Hottentot fig)
Chamaerops (palm)
Trachycarpus ( palm)
Phoenix (palm)
Musa (Banana)
Myrtaceae Callistemon (Bottle brush)
Oleaceae Olea (Olive)
Zingiberaceae Hedychium (Ginger)