2012 weather

I thought trees had a bed time. The moment they slip into a satisfying sleep and let the sunlight tempt snowdrops instead. Alas no.

The mild weather filled my garden with plants that never usually meet.

This reminds me of PlantNetwork’s 2008 conference about ‘phenological’ observations – when plants do what – and if botanic and historic gardens should monitor and react to climate change. Look out for the RBG Kew’s 100 plant list.

I found myself complaining about the warm weather on my gardening phone-in show with Mollie Green on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire radio. I requested a cold snap in the hope of a good crop of fruiting buds on my temperate fruit trees – and fewer pests too.

Although my garlic now begrudges spending Christmas outside.

Even Brussels sprouts are confused. I heard last week from Heritage Seed Library manager, Neil Munro, that these stately veg sometimes need third year to flower if they don’t get enough cold, rather than their usual biennial two-years for saving seed.

But the cold snap is here now!

It’s minus seven degrees centigrade in Coventry. My excited scarf is waiting for me by the front door. I’m going out later to visit my hungover apple trees recovering from Wassailing a couple of weeks back.

Many thanks

Philip Turvil
www.twitter.com/philipturvil
www.beneaththecloche.hortweek.com