Long cold winter
I've been ill with some winter bug for the last week or more, but even if I'd been healthy and full of energy I'd have found it difficult to get any gardening done. It's been really cold and horrible, with nasty northerly winds and low temperatures. I thought it was maybe just my impression that it's been particularly bad this year, but reassuringly I've found backup on the BBC Weather pages, which use data from the Met office. They must know what they're on about. And the monthly outlook page for the UK says: "So far, this March has been the coldest for the best part of 20 years."
(BBC Weather - Monthly outlook)
And in my obsession with weather facts, I've also found on the Year in Review page, that in England and Wales it was "the coldest February since 1996". I started gardening here in late 1996, so I guess that means then that it's been the coldest February for me as a gardener here. Hoping all the plants have weathered it.
A couple of days ago it was the spring equinox, which I guess I should mention as spring has now officially begun. I also like to mention it as equinox is a lovely word, and one we don't get chance to use very often. Only twice a year, in fact.
It's still really cold but the sky is blue and I'm hoping the sunshine will make it more pleasant as I attempt to tackle some pruning.
posted - Wednesday, March 22, 2006
