Is this how the Chiltern’s will look?
Jinny Blom, landscape designer, author of ‘The Thoughtful Gardener: an intelligent approach to garden design‘ has sent some disturbing images from her recent visit to the Aveyron area of the South of France. What greeted her was a scene of devastation as far as the wild boxwood was concerned. The pictures show bushes that last year were healthy and green, but have now been defoliated.
Is this what is in store for places like Box Hill & the Chiltern’s?
The defoliation of the natural boxwood land is almost complete and it is unlikely that it will recover to previous levels. In towns where we might have privet bushes near houses, this region of France has box and the bushes are defoliated with only a couple of green shots remaining. As the bushes aren’t owned by the nearby houses, they are not treated which makes the issue worse for garden owners with box.
Thanks to EBTS member Jinny Blom for the pictures.
