How to garden in Ireland's increasingly rainy climate

Peter Dowdall on the urban plots that look pretty, alleviate flood risk and enhance urban biodiversity

We are seeing heavier and more intense rains than we used to see when I was a child.

I don't suppose anyone truly knows what way our climate here in Ireland is going to end up in the long term and perhaps, not even in the short to medium term. 

We have been warned for many years now that we should expect more frequent, exceptional weather and weather events. The first time that I read that this was in our future was when I was in school and that is well back in the last century at this stage.