It could spell an end to what horticulturalists had been hailing as a vintage spring after the effects of the winter “big freeze” caused many plants to burst into flower simultaneously.
Experts also warned gardening enthusiasts to delay planting out tomatoes and other delicate fruit and vegetables, which would normally be safe to plant out in May, this year.
With overnight temperatures set to fall as low as 26F (-3C) in some parts of Scotland over the next few days, even milder areas in the south are being warned to prepare for over overnight lows close to freezing.
Alan Power head gardener at the National Trust’s Stourhead gardens in Wiltshire said that it was the latest warning of widespread frost in recent memory.
“It is a worry,” he said. “Usually you can relax once April has gone out, a lot of people will have prepared pots and hanging baskets, you just don't expect to have to protect them.”
With spring arriving up to four weeks later than usual this year because of the cold winter, visitors to the gardens have been treated to the rare sight of camellias, magnolias and rhododendrons all in flower at once.
But he warned: “It will definitely shorten it, mother nature is going to steal back again the four weeks we had stolen from her.”
Andy Bodenham, a Met Office forecaster, said: “We are going to see temperatures down to just a few degrees above freezing in many areas, and certainly cold enough to warrant protecting delicate plants.”
Our comment: We are pleased that we have kept the Cannas growing in the poly-tunnels, until this blast of cold is over and done with. We will start transplanting next weekend, when we can see a bright future ahead of us.
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