November, true to form, delivered autumn and the colours have been amazing. Across the last ten years I have planted quite a few native trees and this year have been rewarded with a stunning show. Even the domestic planting has been generous with Maples, Liquidambar and very noticeably Cotinus and Gingko all showing off. AsRead More
Who switched the lights off? Suddenly the season has turned, spurred over the line by the tweaking of time and the disappearance of daylight by 5.00pm. The smells have changed too, there is a damp mustiness as fallen leaves moulder. The livestock still skips about, rats, mice and squirrels all foraging, gathering and storing inRead More
And there it was gone, the summer just upped and left, making way for autumn. By early September many plants looked close to surrender as the dry weather thumped them and there was a fair amount of early leaf fall. The gardens have been reasonably productive, even without the rain. The beans have been ok,Read More
September is upon us. What delights will this one hold? Traditionally it’s the month that marks the turn of the season, but the muddle of the last month has had me wondering which season we are changing. August was a mish mash of a month, delivering all that meteorology has to offer. We had someRead More
It can’t be August already surely? There has been a mistiness to the passing days, that has smudged the detail and had many of us puzzling over what day of the week it is. With the gentle easing of lockdown we will see clearer shapes and the return of punctuating routines. Thank goodness for theRead More
The British climate doesn’t do half measures does it? Most notable through early June was the intensity of the sun. We all felt at ease about the planting, confident that the frost was left behind and then a fireball appeared in the sky and everything cooked. Any carelessness with watering saw things fry. Many hoursRead More
April rolled into May and the treacherous weather continued with frost across 18 consecutive days eventually easing around the 10th. It was all very testing and damage was varied and widespread. I was really saddened by the demolition of the Magnolia blossom which had only just shown itself. I had Antirrhinums knocked back to two inchRead More
Wow! What an exhausting month and what a difference in the weather compared with last spring, when the sun shone every day from the end of March for ten solid weeks. Like last year the ground remains dry, but the big difference has been with the daily chill. The night frosts through April were veryRead More
The darkness shrank and the light swept back across the land. A new spring has arrived and nature unperturbed by the turbulence of an interesting year, just moves forward. Buds have filled and are poised for the new start. Hazel catkins flicked lazily in the breeze above daffodils, snowdrops and crocus which all performed well,Read More
The spiteful wind, that has been a feature of this month has dented the enthusiasm of the keenest of gardeners. It has scythed through every fibre, whilst nature has chosen to just bash on. Encouraged by the stubborn defiance of the dormant world to get back to business, I did sow seed in February andRead More