By Victoria Plum
Foreigners wonder why we British always talk about the weather. The reason is because it is always changing.
A Canadian friend was mocking our discomfort at the latest cold snap, but we just aren’t used to it. Can you believe that events this year, and not just Reepham & District Gardening Club events, were cancelled due to extreme heat and extreme cold?
To discourage “soft growth” I had been thinking that during this winter I would be a bit harder on my succulents.
Whereas I would normally water every week or fortnightly through the winter I have not watered at all since bringing them indoors from my outdoor benches in late September and October.
They were already fairly dry when the cold struck, so that with my emergency heater (annoyingly) not working in the conservatory I ensured the dehumidifier was on.
The temperature did go below freezing, but since I (very idly) did not go downstairs in the coldest part of the night in my nightdress to check, I am not sure how far below it went.
Above: A Norfolk-bred aloe growing outside my conservatory this week, notice the ice and ladybird. (The other succulents are inside the conservatory.) Below: Another shot of the same plant. It has survived frosts before. Time will tell if it does again. Photos: Tina Sutton
What I have been remembering is the talk from Richard Clark of Panache Plants (he was previously a geography teacher and so had a particular knowledge of weather effects and conditions) when he explained how many interesting plants could cope with cold weather if they were not sitting in the wet (he was on a mission to encourage us to grow more exotic and unusual perennials).
I bought some ginger lilies from him that do well outside. I always remove their water saucers in the winter and prop the pots on champagne corks to ensure they drain.
If you think about it, many of our favourite plants come from countries with extreme temperatures but little rainfall, so we have to learn to accommodate them in our damp climate. You only have to watch a cowboy film to see that this is true.
Over the years we have enjoyed a wealth of talks on many subjects at the gardening club (I mention a few just to give you an idea of the variety).
We learnt about local fungus, the Victorian language of flowers, saffron, lavender, insects, mole-catching, the history of the sweet pea, walled gardens, ancient garden implements (which included a game show), archaeological discoveries, topiary, alpines, garden design, peregrines at the Cathedral, plant propagation and more.
I wonder what interesting talks are planned for next year?
More on the weather at next month’s meeting when Chris Bell, BBC Look East weather presenter, will talk to us about climate change.
Join us at Reepham Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, at 7.45 pm on Tuesday 17 January. There will be a raffle, tea, coffee, cake and biscuits.
Merry Christmas, and a healthy and worry-free New Year.