Bullington Gardens Director John Murphy traces his agrarian roots back to the low-lying Swannanoa Valley, where he worked Warren Wilson College’s farm as an undergraduate. Tending to saplings and tilling black-as-night soil was his first introduction to growing plants, he says, adding: “Then my long and checkered career began.”
Since 1980, he’s taught Indonesian villagers sustainable agriculture and milked heifers at a dairy farm. He’s lived off-grid in Western New Guinea and served in Sierra Leone as a Peace Corps volunteer. Later, Murphy took up the relatively tamer occupation of landscaping.
No matter the job title or area code, the Hendersonville native remains grounded in soil — chiefly the study of soil and society. “My specific interest is the intersection of people and plants — how plants can serve as a means of rehabilitation or learning or inspiration in someone’s life,” he says.
In his 17 years at Bullington — a public botanical garden and horticultural center in Henderson County that includes youth-outreach programs — Murphy has united Western North Carolina’s flora with its two-legged fauna (i.e., the human mammals who enjoy the area’s botanical bounty).
But it’s not all roses. Local gardeners are dealing with increasingly above-average temperatures, unprecedented wildfires, and last year’s persistent drought that, in some WNC counties, reached the highest category administered by the NC Drought Monitor: “exceptional.” One of the new gardening buzzwords is “xeriscaping” — growing plants that need little or no supplemental water. Growers need to dig deep for solutions to deal with the altered climate, and Murphy helps them.
What season is hit the hardest by dry conditions?
I’m afraid we’re going to see drought indicators appearing in spring, when plants are under pressure. A fair amount of shrubs and trees are going to try to grow, but they’re not going to have enough moisture. They may die. Here at Bullington, for example, an evergreen plant was doing just fine, but now it’s dropping needles.
What species are most susceptible to drought?
Last November, when it was still very dry, and there were countless fires, the rhododendrons were particularly under stress. They show stress by curling their leaves to conserve what moisture they have left. Some types of magnolias also like lots of moisture; we actually lost a magnolia tree this past year. More generally, however, it’s the newly planted plants that you have to worry about.
In spring, home gardeners want to fill their lawns and flowerbeds. Any suggestions?
The key is having access to water. If we don’t get rain, those new plants require extra water for two years. You might also want to think about plants that are hardier, like sourwoods, hollies, and cedars. The butterfly bush is also very adaptable, as is the forsythia. At Bullington, we have an area called the Rain Garden. It’s amazing because the plants can handle flood-like conditions, but they can also handle it very dry. It contains all native species. There’s some St. John’s wort, ferns, cardinal flowers, and turtlehead.
How does Bullington Gardens combat drought?
For us, it’s a little different, because we’re more of a showcase garden. Since we want to show a variety of plants, not just the drought-resistant species, we try to amend the soil. We put organic matter, often shredded bark, around new plants. Any mulch is great for conserving moisture.
Have you seen a shift in precipitation levels since you started at Bullington? If so, do you believe the cause is climate change?
I will say that the weather is no longer predictable. There’s no normal pattern. When I started, you’d expect a good amount of moisture throughout the year. Last year, it was generally completely dry, but in July it rained every other day. I’ve also noticed that summer night temperatures are so much hotter than they used to be. It’s more humid, too. It’s climate change. Looking at our climate from the mid-’70s to now, it’s definitely evolved.
What are the long-term consequences of drought, for both plants and people?
With plants in distress, insects can have a stronger impact on their health. Weeds, especially the ones that are invasive and non-native, can be more adaptable than some of our landscape plants. In a broader complication, if we have a particular plant species that is especially vulnerable, it could shift the ecology. It could be a stressful situation for people, too. The landscape may need more care. People will have to take responsibility for the plants and for the environment.
Bullington Gardens (95 Upper Red Oak Trail in Hendersonville) is open Monday through Friday, 8am-4:30 pm. John Murphy can be contacted at 828-698-6104. For more information, see bullingtongardens.org.