Climate Adaptation from the Gardeners Perspective: A Comparative Study between Sweden and the United Kingdom

Abstract

This thesis presents a comparative study into the practices and perspectives of 19 heritage gardeners across nine gardens in the United Kingdom and Sweden, focusing on their responses to climate change. The study encompasses interviews with six gardeners from England, working at— Aberglasney Gardens, Beth Chatto’s Plants and Gardens, Cothay Manor, Iford Manor Estate, Hestercombe House and Gardens, and the Japanese Gardens at Kew—and three in the greater Gothenburg area of Sweden: The Botanical Garden of Gothenburg, Gunnebo House and Gardens, and the Garden Society of Gothenburg. Through semi-structured interviews and participant observations, the study addresses the questions: (1) How do gardeners in heritage gardens cultivate both natural and cultural heritage? (2) How do contemporary trends and norms, such as sustainable and ecological practice, rewilding and naturalistic gardens impact the work and methods in heritage gardens? (3) How can cultural ecosystem services improve the multifunctionality of ecosystems in heritage gardens? Employing the Cultural Ecosystem Services framework and Natureculture as theory, the study identifies eight major themes divided into conservation of cultural and natural heritage. Key findings highlight the impact of norms on pesticide use, strategies for water and drought management, the shift towards peat-free horticulture, and promotion of biodiversity. The gardeners' emphasis on education, authenticity, and the integration of new ecological trends illustrates the dynamic interplay between tradition and innovation in heritage garden management. This research underscores the importance of an integrated approach to heritage gardening, and showcase how a lack of understanding for the interaction between gardener and “the more-than-human” hinder visions, management, resources and funding to be planned in a manner that is culturally, naturally and economically sustainable.