Wimbledon's famed floral displays are under threat from intensifying summer heatwaves, potentially leading to the phasing out of iconic flowers like hydrangeas and petunias. Head gardener Martyn Falconer stated that these traditional plants are "so thirsty" that alternatives are being sought, despite the implementation of a state-of-the-art irrigation system.
More than 5,000 hydrangeas have been a centerpiece of the tournament's grounds for decades, contributing to the tournament's "tennis in an English country garden" aesthetic. However, Falconer, who leads a 25-person team, is tasked with future-proofing the 42-acre site while preserving its distinctive atmosphere.
"Hydrangeas are very iconic for Wimbledon. If you look back at the photos in the archive from the 1920s, you see them," Falconer said. "It's my favourite plant but we are looking to see if we can find something that will give you the same wow as a hydrangea."
Petunias, numbering 19,000 and featured in over 200 hanging baskets and multiple show-court displays, are also being re-evaluated. Falconer noted a significant shift in planting strategies since he joined the All England Club more than 25 years ago. "When I joined Wimbledon, we were planting thousands and thousands of petunias and geraniums, and all sorts of annual bedding plants – it was the 'to do' thing in the late 1990s and early 2000s – but we have completely changed that and petunias are the only ones we really use," he explained.
A "climate-resilient" project is slated to launch next year, focusing on plants suitable for Wimbledon's famous Henman Hill, to be known as the 'Hill Project.' However, initial considerations of rosemary and olive trees have been discarded to avoid a "too Mediterranean" appearance.
"We are starting to look at a strategy for the whole site because the heat isn't just a one-off," Falconer stated. "Hot spells are now more normal than abnormal. What we need to do is still produce tennis in an English garden and that's my job to think about."
The tournament will also complete a transition to peat-free soil in its hanging baskets next year.
In related developments, Wimbledon's tradition of serving strawberries and cream may also see changes. The exclusive strawberry supplier, Hugh Lowe Farms in Kent, is exploring the use of harvesting robots. Marion Regan, who manages the farm, indicated an interest in new technologies as labor costs rise. Her family's farm and a British tech firm, Dogtooth, are reportedly developing robots capable of picking approximately 440 pounds of strawberries per day, a significant shift from the traditional hand-picking method employed by a team of 30 who harvest 40 tonnes over a two-week period.