Here in NE Suffolk,

The grass is growing full-speed-ahead and it badly needs cutting.
Though we have had a couple of ground frosts and a dusting of snow, the dahlias are intact and preparing new flowers.
One of the begonias thinks it is spring and has began growing like crazy.
Assorted other plants have flowered a second time when they should have waited until 2016.

It's unheard of since autumn 2014, which was also hyper mild.

Brac

On Friday, 27 November 2015 22:15:05 UTC, Brac wrote:
Here in NE Suffolk,

The grass is growing full-speed-ahead and it badly needs cutting.
Though we have had a couple of ground frosts and a dusting of snow, the dahlias are intact and preparing new flowers.
One of the begonias thinks it is spring and has began growing like crazy.
Assorted other plants have flowered a second time when they should have waited until 2016.

It's unheard of since autumn 2014, which was also hyper mild.

Brac
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We have pink Rhododendrons flowers out.
And a few red flowers on our Rhododendron called 'May Day'. Named such because that is the time it is meant to flower.
Still, red is an appropriate colour for Christmas.

Len
Wembury, SW Devon coast

"Len Wood" wrote in message
...
On Friday, 27 November 2015 22:15:05 UTC, Brac wrote:
Here in NE Suffolk,

The grass is growing full-speed-ahead and it badly needs cutting.
Though we have had a couple of ground frosts and a dusting of snow, the
dahlias are intact and preparing new flowers.
One of the begonias thinks it is spring and has began growing like crazy.
Assorted other plants have flowered a second time when they should have
waited until 2016.

It's unheard of since autumn 2014, which was also hyper mild.

Brac
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We have pink Rhododendrons flowers out.
And a few red flowers on our Rhododendron called 'May Day'. Named such
because that is the time it is meant to flower.
Still, red is an appropriate colour for Christmas.


Well at least my garden is starting to take on a winter look. Summer bedding
and patio plants are being shredded, veg. garden is over (apart from winter
veg.), greenhouse has been cleared. The trees are bare, the grass has
stopped growing (hurrah!), winter jasmine is in bud and also mahonia.
Natives such as nettle and the numerous other weeds are dying back. So all
looking good for a rest now despite a mild November with a mean max. of 11C.

Will
--
http://www.lyneside.demon.co.uk/Hayt...antage_Pro.htm
Will Hand (Haytor, Devon, 1017 feet asl)
---------------------------------------------

On 27/11/2015 22:15, Brac wrote:
Here in NE Suffolk,

The grass is growing full-speed-ahead and it badly needs cutting.
Though we have had a couple of ground frosts and a dusting of snow, the dahlias are intact and preparing new flowers.
One of the begonias thinks it is spring and has began growing like crazy.
Assorted other plants have flowered a second time when they should have waited until 2016.

It's unheard of since autumn 2014, which was also hyper mild.

Brac

----------------------------------------------------
The garden is smarter than us. It knows winter doesn't necessarily start
on the 1st December :-) Just picked the last of our tomatoes. That's a
run of July to almost December , not bad.
Dave, S.Essex

In message , Brac
writes
Here in NE Suffolk,

The grass is growing full-speed-ahead and it badly needs cutting.
Though we have had a couple of ground frosts and a dusting of snow, the
dahlias are intact and preparing new flowers.
One of the begonias thinks it is spring and has began growing like crazy.
Assorted other plants have flowered a second time when they should have
waited until 2016.

It's unheard of since autumn 2014, which was also hyper mild.

Brac


I'm no horticulturalist, but I suspect that here in Surrey last
weekend's frosts were sharp enough to put an abrupt stop to most growth.
--
John Hall
"Honest criticism is hard to take,
particularly from a relative, a friend,
an acquaintance, or a stranger." Franklin P Jones

On Friday, November 27, 2015 at 10:15:05 PM UTC, Brac wrote:
Here in NE Suffolk,

The grass is growing full-speed-ahead and it badly needs cutting.
Though we have had a couple of ground frosts and a dusting of snow, the dahlias are intact and preparing new flowers.
One of the begonias thinks it is spring and has began growing like crazy.
Assorted other plants have flowered a second time when they should have waited until 2016.

It's unheard of since autumn 2014, which was also hyper mild.

Brac

Grass is still growing at full pelt here in Wanstead and I can't be bothered to go out and cut it. The sharp frost last weekend has given my geraniums a real hammering though - they have been growing happily for the last three years before that...

I went to buy some box hedging last week but was warned off by the nursery keeper because of the amount of blight on current specimens. She said that we need a proper, cold winter to kill off all the bugs.

"John Hall" wrote in message
...
In message , Brac
writes
Here in NE Suffolk,

The grass is growing full-speed-ahead and it badly needs cutting.
Though we have had a couple of ground frosts and a dusting of snow, the
dahlias are intact and preparing new flowers.
One of the begonias thinks it is spring and has began growing like crazy.
Assorted other plants have flowered a second time when they should have
waited until 2016.

It's unheard of since autumn 2014, which was also hyper mild.

Brac


I'm no horticulturalist, but I suspect that here in Surrey last weekend's
frosts were sharp enough to put an abrupt stop to most growth.

Hi John, in my experience you need two sub -2C nights to do a proper job. Up
here it is the wind and lashing rain that gives most plants a hammering from
October onwards. Frost and snow then wipe the tender ones completely out.
All my half hardys are now safely inside the conservatory. Tenders I don't
bother with trying to over-winter. Hardies stay out to take their chances.

Will
--
http://www.lyneside.demon.co.uk/Hayt...antage_Pro.htm
Will Hand (Haytor, Devon, 1017 feet asl)
---------------------------------------------

In message , Eskimo Will
writes

"John Hall" wrote in message
...

I'm no horticulturalist, but I suspect that here in Surrey last
weekend's frosts were sharp enough to put an abrupt stop to most growth.

Hi John, in my experience you need two sub -2C nights to do a proper
job.

I think we would have had that.

Up here it is the wind and lashing rain that gives most plants a
hammering from October onwards. Frost and snow then wipe the tender
ones completely out. All my half hardys are now safely inside the
conservatory. Tenders I don't bother with trying to over-winter.
Hardies stay out to take their chances.

Will

We've had some wind and lashing rain in recent weeks, though of course
not of the severity that you often get.
--
John Hall
"Honest criticism is hard to take,
particularly from a relative, a friend,
an acquaintance, or a stranger." Franklin P Jones

On Friday, 27 November 2015 22:15:05 UTC, Brac wrote:
Here in NE Suffolk,

The grass is growing full-speed-ahead and it badly needs cutting.
Though we have had a couple of ground frosts and a dusting of snow, the dahlias are intact and preparing new flowers.
One of the begonias thinks it is spring and has began growing like crazy.
Assorted other plants have flowered a second time when they should have waited until 2016.

It's unheard of since autumn 2014, which was also hyper mild.

Brac

Here in N. Bristol Pelargoniums, Begonias, Dahlias etc, in pots on the N. side of the house- they've not seen the sun for a month or two- are still flowering and being pollinated.
I leave out a sacrificial pelargonium every winter. The last time it died was 2011-12. We have a few air frosts of -1 or -2C for an hour or two most winters of course, but the pelargs aren't bothered.
The Dahlia tubers have only succumbed to frost once in 28 years-that was the winter of 2010. Even my P. dactylifera survived. It's next door to a Xmas tree, so I can look out from my balcony and say I have dominion over palm and pine.