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Gardeners (like opposition politicians) quite enjoy a bit of a moan. In the case of politicians then almost any excuse will do: for gardeners it is usually the weather. It's seldom perfect and in recent weeks all of us have had more rain than

It's blackberry time - not those machines, without which many "suits" would feel emasculated, but fat berries swollen by rain and aching for crumble. The blackberry bramble is a weed, and the perfect example of a plant simply growing in the wrong

Last Sunday evening the rain, that had been pouring down all day, turned to snow. Had I not had to spend at least part of the evening towing stuck motorists up a steep hill in the village, it would have been very pretty to watch. It stopped falling

What a glorious week it has been (with apologies to those in other places who have had torrential rain/snow/hailstones the size of gulls eggs/unseasonal drought etc).Every morning at about 7:15 we walk around the fields - with such clear skies

Today is a wet, windy, cold, miserable, dreary, murky, depressing, cheerless, uninspiring and downright dingy day. It has not stopped raining and it always seems as if darkness is about to fall. It is the sort of day when only the very dedicated

After all the winds and rain that swept through earlier in the week (and which washed away poor Pippa's iris) a calm has descended on this part of the world.Wandering around this morning I've noticed that spring has been inching in under cover

are beginning to turn, the apples are ready, the Nerines are just starting and the last tomatoes are still warm in the greenhouse.Enjoy it now because tomorrow anything could happen (and, probably, it will rain).

Since Christmas the weather has been almost universally ghastly - rain, fog, leaden skies and general Januaryness. Over the last couple of days, however, I have noticed everything change; the skies are blue and the sun is shining. In the hedges buds

winter.Actaea 'James Compton' - these used to be called cimicifugas. Tall and very, very elegant. 'James Compton' has dark purplish leaves as well.Zauschenaria californica - any plant whose name begins with Z has a special spot in my heart. A great edging