Weather pixies take pity on us!

The first frosts in western England arrive from mid-October onwards. After the worst summer on record, it looks like the weather pixies have decided to give us a small treat, and haven't sent Jack Frost to visit us yet. Even more pleasing, the 10 day weather forecast tells us that there will not be any frost during that time, temperatures will go as low as 4 degrees, but that is all. That would be the middle of November before we shiver to a frost!

Canna 'Dessert', a new introduction for 2008, still flowering outdoors

It is remarkable to look out onto the breeding plants and the collection and to see them still flowering away. The lack of sunshine, due to the shorter daylight at this time of the year, means that the flowers are all a bit smaller than in the summer, and some of them struggle to open properly, but what the heck! The fact that we will have a shorter winter this year is quite an enjoyable thought.

Have I just tempted the weather pixies to play games with us next spring?