Wednesday, February 26, 2014

The Consequence

There are advantages and disadvantages to anything that happens in life. Some events will have more of one compared to the other but very rarely one will consist purely of only one and none of the other.

Oh yes, we have snowdrops too...
Even the garden fire we had last summer bought some advantages and benefits despite the unpleasant nature of the event. It's great to reap the positive side of it now although admittedly we would have preferred not to have undergone it in the first place.

I don't want to tempt fate for winter is not yet over but for us the temperatures have been extremely mild. The risk of snow, freezes, and very low temperatures are still there but the more we inch towards the traditional spring months the risk also decreases. 

Begonias already sprouting
Acer heptaphlebium already leafing out
All Farfugiums remained evergreen
If the trend continues then this winter would have been the mildest winter UK has ever experienced that we know of (weather geeks out there know otherwise?). Mild but very stormy...

Personally, I am grateful and thankful for our mild winter. Thankful that we had a decent summer last year followed by a mild winter which have made things easier for us as we underwent a very stressful period in our lives (living through an extensive house renovation).

Daphne odora 'Rebecca' in bloom
and so is Clematis armandii
However despite the mild winter we have had, for others there have been far more serious and negative consequences. The warmer temperatures we have benefited from were also paired with storms and relentless rains that has severely affected several parts of the UK and their residents, causing floods that have devastated large parts of the South West and the Thames drainage basin. It was also paired with snow storms and prolonged cold spells across the Atlantic, and we have seen images on both TV and from our blogging friends of the cold weather the North American continent has suffered. 

As an exotic gardener, a mild winter brings about so many personal advantages. How many 'on the edge of hardiness' plants do we have that have not even been close to seeing the edge this year, ensuring that they'll do even better in the coming growing season? 

This Phoenix roebelenii stayed out all winter
So how mild was the winter?

So mild that even this Vietnamese Coriander - Persicaria odorata remained evergreen

And this Persicaria 'Red Dragon' is leafing out from old stems. In previous winters it gets cut back down to the ground

But a warmer winter is not all good news for the garden, it is mostly good yes but it also has some consequences. A few plants that do need a winter chill to do well in the summer might not do well this time. And what about pests and diseases that are usually kept in check and regulated by the cold spells we usually have in the winter, cold spells that never happened, will they be extra aggressive this year?

Better keep an extra eye out for these bugs and nasties, much earlier than we normally would. And extra vigilant too especially when it starts to warm up in the following weeks to come.

Mild winter is very desirable but there is still no room for complacency, otherwise the consequences might take over and overtake the benefits...

Mark :-)

40 comments :

  1. aargh, slugs!
    Better get the beer traps out.

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    1. Ohh yes them too. They have started already although come to think of it I don't think they actually stopped...

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  2. Guess the weather gods knew you guys needed a break and sent you a mild winter. We were in Yellowstone after they had a big fire and the wildflowers were amazing. I guess some of them needed the heat of the fire to germinate. Don't know why I'm telling you this, except to agree with you that yes, there is a silver lining, but don't forget the cloud it came in.

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    1. That's a perfect way of putting it Ricki, couldn't agree more

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  3. I'm glad you 2 got a bit of a winter respite after the year you had in 2013. I hope your good fortune continues through the remainder of the year!

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    1. We hope so Kris, and we wish the same for everyone else!

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  4. Beautiful how many new flowers and leaves you have to show for your mild winter. Looking on the bright side means that this exceptionally cold winter has jump-started my trend to hardier plants in the garden. Interestingly, the Bismarckia nobilis have squeaked through and already pushing out new fronds.

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    1. We had the same reaction Shirley after we’ve had that string of three harsher winters. Great news on the Bismarckia nobilis! Their hardiness were tested but glad to hear they sailed through fine

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  5. Yes, i've read those flooding there but comparatively it is not as devastating as what happened here for consecutive years, each time in different areas! Regarding the disadvantages of your mild winters, i guess you really have to be vigilant early!

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    1. The floods that happened there Andrea was a different league altogether and yes very devastating. We still hear reports on what's happening on the affected areas there and rehabilitation will take years.

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  6. So glad winter has been nice to you guys, to have it slap you upside the face would have added insult to injury and we wouldn't want that!

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    1. Thanks Loree! No room for complacency though, this mildness could turn out to be a one off. We always wish for mild winters though, mild for everyone who wants it to

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  7. When this happens I´m always afraid of a late freeze coming. I hope nothing like that happens!!

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    1. There's always that risk Lisa, we're crossing our fingers...

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  8. Glad the weather has been good to you and your garden at least. Here the below-freezing temperatures are really starting to get old, although we are much better off than much of the rest of the country.

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  9. It's great that the weather has been kind to your garden this winter. There may be consequences to follow but for now you can revel in the present!

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    1. Indeed Peter, enjoy the present and the benefits but remain on guard :)

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  10. I think its the unpredictability that makes things tough, just look at our last two winters, total contrast, I still have no Judea which is closer to normal here! Hope you have a year free of dramas and can enjoy results of pond building and house renovation, and most particularly, planting!

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    1. Thanks Janet and true, it's the unpredictability that makes it extra tough. If we're only guaranteed a mild winter like what we're having now every year. And with all the drama that happened here last year, we've both developed an extra allergy towards them. We're hoping for a much more relaxed year, to be able to enjoy the things that we have and relish them :)

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  11. Hello Mark and Gaz:

    How wonderful to have discovered your exciting, principally garden, blog through a comment left by you on 'Tales from Awkward Hill'. And although we no longer garden, after twenty-five years in Herefordshire and numerous books written, and now have a completely different lifestyle, our interest in plants and gardens remains as strong as ever.

    You clearly grow some most interesting plants and care for them with an undisguised passion. How wonderful to see your Clematis armandii, a clematis with which for some reason we only ever grew very badly!

    Here in Hungary we too have experienced a mild winter - we should have heavy snow at this time but instead have mild, spring days - but without the rainfall of the UK.

    We are signing ourselves as Followers. Should you need to know more about us, then we are simply a click away.

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    1. Thank you for visiting Jane and Lance, lovely to hear from you and glad to hear your kind words. Glad to hear that your interest in plants and gardens remain.

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  12. You're very lucky to have had a mild winter. Mine was 2 zones colder and I already see lots of loss. I'm beginning to feel like you after the fire and what will need replaced.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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    1. Hopefully you won't have to replace loads Cher!

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  13. We relished our mild winters the previous two years but last summer we suffered with many obnoxious bugs, especially gnats that were so numerous one hesitated to open the mouth while outdoors, lest one accidentally get a mouthful! This winter has been colder than usual, and I have lost a couple of plants. But hopefully we will have fewer of those gnats this summer! As you say, there are advantages and disadvantages.

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    1. I can imagine how obnoxious those gnats have been Debs, hopefully you'll have much less of it this year so your time spent outdoors this coming summer will be much more comfortable.

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  14. There are some advantages to a mild winter. It can be something to treasure. We have had a very harsh winter this season. I will enjoy the slow emergence of all things in the garden.

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    1. Hopefully summer will be nice, warm, and yet comfortable to compensate for the harsh winters you guys just had there. Cross fingers!

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  15. We are gradually drying out in the south west, yes it has been very mild, although we did have a frost last night! Some plants need a cold spell to flower properly the following year so we will just have to wait and see what happens in the garden this year. I'm just hoping that March doesn't spring any nasty surprises on us!

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    1. Glad to hear its drying out there in the south west already Pauline. It was a mild but such a wet winter. It'll be interesting to see how some of the plants will respond to the mild winter. Mind you I would still prefer if such a mild winter is guaranteed here every time, perhaps much less wet and a lot less stormy though!

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  16. Quite right too - we need to be vigilant against pests! although even last year the garden here was inundated with aphids so, either way, the nasties will find us! I garden organically so, if I get aphids one year, I'll leave winter homes for ladybirds; slugs get picked off (you'll never get them all), but I'm never sure about greasing my fruit trees or any of that stuff ... ! Probably best not to know too much about these things! #hidesheadinsand Lovely to see your garden coming back to life, let's hope for prolonged mildness!

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    1. It's good to remain vigilant Caro. We try to garden as organically as possible, it makes sense and feels better :) hopefully March won't bring us any nasty surprises!

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  17. A mild winter for you is like a rainy winter here--out of the ordinary but most welcome. Easier on the Koi as well.

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    1. Very very welcome indeed, and would be delighted if this will be the case every winter, although a lot less stormy would be better. And yes, better for the koi! They were active all through the winter months.

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  18. You have a real optimistic attitude towards life :-) and that's great. The cold winter has not left us yet and so we are still suffering but I can smell the spring in the horizon. Begonias here are annual. It seems like it's not annual there in your garden. Wow! I heard about Vietnamese coriander. Does it really taste like coriander?

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    1. Optimism is the way to go :) not so much though to be a Pollyanna, lol! Most begonias are annuals here too but there are a few that are proving hardy here like this one (I think one is Begonia pedatifida, not too sure). We haven't tried using Vietnamese coriander in our cooking, we grow it for ornamental purposes. We ought to try it soon really.

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  19. We had warm days but cold nights. Very strange indeed. And then the lack of rain. So now that it is raining the succulents are sucking up the water like their is no tomorrow and some are rotting. It's crazy!

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    1. Rotting, I don't like the sound of that. Hopefully there won't be much that will go in that direction Candice and that damage will remain minimal. Weather....crazy as ever!

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  20. I'm so glad you two have had a mild winter so far--you've earned a respite from harsh weather!

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    1. We do appreciate it Heather. Hopefully every winter will be like this one, one can hope! Okay perhaps less storms :)

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