Spring Weather 2016

[David Nicholson]

The last fortnight has been mainly quite nice. With high pressure in charge there have been some lovely days as well as a few grey-misty ones. Friday (yesterday) was very pleasant and I was able to garden quite comfortably in just a tea-shirt. I did have trousers on as well I hasten to add, didn't want to frighten the horses!

Today was back to normal. Easter, whatever time of year it happens to occur, is frequently and famously bad here and one wonders why so many people brave our equally famous British third-world quality motorway system to descend on Devon and Cornwall. Yesterday it took Mrs N no less than an hour and a half to journey from home to our daughter's home just over the bridge in Cornwall (about 18 miles).

So today, howling gale (though not as bad as we are promised for Monday when Storm Katie blasts in ) and heavy rain for most of the day. Sunday, heavy showers on and off for most of the day. Monday....... who knows??

[ian mcdonald]

In like a lamb out like a lion.

[David Nicholson]

As I remember it it wasn't so lamb-like when it came in.

[arilnut]

Woke up Saturday morning and had a quarter inch of rain overnight.
Got up this morning and found this!  4 inches of snow.

John B

[johnstephen29]

A white Easter John, we in the uk were threatened with one of those, but the weathermen got it wrong thankfully. Instead it is sunny, but windy thanks to Katie😠

[Roma]

Some rain yesterday and very windy.  Dry today and windy but not so bad.
Only casualty of last night's strong winds  Cardiocrinum giganteum.  It should have been removed by this time anyway.

[johnstephen29]

You must have got plenty of seeds looking at all the opened pods Roma?

[Roma]

Didn't get round to collecting it, John.  It ripens too late for the seed exchanges and I usually have enough young offset bulbs coming on so do not bother sowing any.  I did sow seed for the first time 2 years ago ( I think ) but no sign of germination.  I did get 2 germinate in other pots previously.  Some seed had fallen into the bag of grit which I was using to top dress seed pots and I did not remove it all when I used the grit.

[johnstephen29]

Oh not so bad then, the main bulb dies after flowering doesn't it?

[johnstephen29]

What on earth is happening weather wise this spring? I know we can have frosts in April, but this late in April? If that wasn't bad enough, today we have had a thunderstorm with halestones, ongoing as I write this.

[Maggi Young]

Yup, we've been getting that weather for the last few days, John- it is quite horrible. Luckily isn't doing too much damage to the Erythroniums but some Rhodo flowers are getting hammered. 
It's darned unpleasant for the gardeners, too. 

[johnstephen29]

You was quick off the ball there maggi yes it's not good for going out in, I was feeding the poultry and it was stinging my face. Not too much damage here either thank goodness.

[Maggi Young]

If I were a chicken I wouldn't be laying any eggs in this weather, John , no matter how much you fed me!

[Graeme]

been snowing here today and now the sun is out

1st rhodohypoxis flower is out in one of the tunnels - seems a bit early

[johnstephen29]

I only have good girls among my birds maggi, I feed them and they give me hen and duck eggs. The only trouble I have is with the Guinea fowl, they hide there eggs, didn't find them today. The thunder storm has now gone and the hailstones have turned to sleety snow.