RHS relocates national plant collections as England's growing zones shift

The Royal Horticultural Society is moving hydrangeas and rhododendrons to Greater Manchester and North Yorkshire after heat stress damages them in southern England. Meanwhile, figs, almonds, bananas, and lotus now flourish at RHS gardens — including Harlow Carr in Yorkshire, where such growth seemed impossible a decade ago. The relocations track shifting horticultural zones driven by climate change.