Yvonne Barton, MGS Member & Gardener, Umbria, Italy - 11 January 2023

“Whatever happened to winter? How a gardener in central Italy is trying to cope with changing weather patterns.”
In mediterranean regions we rely on winter to bring rain to refresh the earth and cold to keep pests at bay - a time for regeneration. But in the last years in southern Europe we have seen very different weather patterns. Yvonne will discuss what has changed. Does it matter? Is this the future? And how should we gardeners cope? Can we, by doing our best to minimise water needs and the use of pesticides and fertilisers, reduce these environmental impacts to survive and flourish?
Dr Yvonne Barton is a chartered civil engineer. Her international career brought her to work in Milan in 1999. Three years later she and her partner Tim decided to make Italy their home and they settled in Umbria. Their stunning property "Montiano" is situated at 430m above sea level with views out over Lago Trasimeno. In addition to olive groves and vineyards, the garden, which covers half a hectare, features a gravel garden and a natural swimming pond. Dry stone walled terraces planted with mediterranean natives sweep down under trees where myriad roses, cistus, bulbs, and other mediterranean perennials flourish. Yvonne designed the garden to be irrigation free from the outset. She has derived much of her inspiration from Olivier Filippi and Beth Chatto but mostly from the MGS. “I believe that what has resulted is a garden that is self-sustaining and ecological and which provides interest and sanctuary in every month of the year, despite the challenging conditions.”