Climate change: Our survey said...

The results of Gardening.co.uk's 2007 Summer Survey reveal that 72% of gardeners have experienced global warming in their own backyards.

The findings show that of all gardeners surveyed, 47% have noticed changes to the first and last frost date, 58% have seen more plants thriving in winter, 31% need to mow their lawn more often, and 14% have noticed more shrubs and trees dying for no apparent reason.

Website editor Sarah Brocklehurst commented: 'Although gardeners are able to grow vegetables and plants they couldn't grow before, climate change is clearly affecting the way we garden. Many gardeners surveyed are having trouble with the increase in unwanted pests and prolific weeds; in this case dandelions and bindweed are the top culprits – and things are set to get worse.'

The research also highlighted a growing amount of eco gardeners with 89% recycling their garden and household waste and 54% claiming they are organic gardeners.

With more than 85% of the UK population owning a garden, climate change looks set to have an increasing impact on our own backyards. Further afield, the media attention, consistent lobbying of Government by organisations such as Friends of the Earth, and the recent floodings in particular, all point to a greater awareness and an increasing likelihood of unpredictable and unseasonal weather becoming par for the course.

'Gardening.co.uk will continue to monitor the effects of climate change in this country and advise gardeners on how to adapt to the changes, whether that means coping with extreme drought or excessive wet,' added Sarah Brocklehurst. 'There's been some interesting and concerning stories about flooding on the Forum. I'm very interested to see how the rest of this year pans out weather-wise.'

Barbara Wilson (13.7.07.): 'I was born just outside Rotherham and my heart goes out to all those who have been flooded out. We have been very lucky. I now live in Gainsborough, up on top of a hill, and have been watching the Trent carefully. It has now receded – we are so lucky not to have had it as bad as some people.'

Shazz Shazz (2/7/07): I'm in Fife Scotland and I've been watching the flooding on the news. Yesterday we had the heaviest, longest downpour I've ever seen in my life. We've just built a big new shed at the bottom of the garden and were trapped in until the rain stopped. When we came out, there was a moat all the way round the shed and around my raised veggie beds. It was about 3in deep and we had to wade out. My lawn was equally as deep. I feel so sorry for the folk with the REAL floods, if that was just a wee taster we got.'

Susan Williams (3/7/07): 'Last Monday I tried to get my daughter through to Sheffield for her A-level exam revision class (thank goodness it was not the actual exam), but after an hour and a half we had to turn back as every road we tried was flooded.