The Championships at Wimbledon began Monday, marking the start of the world’s oldest tennis tournament—and the only one still played on grass courts. Matches run through July 12, drawing fans, former champions, celebrities, and members of the British royal family to the All England Lawn Tennis Club in southwest London.
The courts aren’t the only green at Wimbledon
Beyond the tennis, the event is known for its careful gardening. More than 50,000 plants turn the 42-acre grounds into what head gardener Martyn Falconer calls “tennis in an English garden.” The displays—heavy on hydrangeas, petunias, and salvias—follow a strict palette of purple, green, and white, matching Wimbledon’s official colors.
Falconer started at the club in 1999 as a contractor before taking over as head gardener in 2014. His team includes 12 full-time gardeners and 13 seasonal workers. Preparations for the next tournament begin almost immediately after the current one ends.
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Climate shifts force changes to tradition
The team is adjusting to longer hot spells and unpredictable rainfall in the UK. While hydrangeas remain a staple, they need a lot of water. To keep the look while saving resources, the club collects rainwater and tries hardier perennials.
The grounds now include living walls and more permanent plantings, a change from the early 2000s when annuals were common. Some trees Falconer planted as saplings now stand 15 meters tall. “I remember putting that in the hole,” he said. “Now you wouldn’t be able to remove it.”
More than 100,000 people visit the 42-acre site each year, drawn to the courts, museum, and gardens.
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For those wanting to bring a bit of Wimbledon home, Falconer recommends hanging baskets with purple, blue, and white petunias. “A nice hanging basket feels very Wimbledon,” he said.
His goal is for visitors to notice the work behind the calm. “We soften the whole estate to make it peaceful,” he said. “Not like a city.”
The quiet moment before the first match is his favorite. “You can look around and see what you’ve done,” he said. “The grounds really change.”
