INTRODUCTION
I thought it would be sensible to say a little about the climate here in the east of England for those who still think that it rains all summer and fog all winter.
Historically we have quite cool winters for this country with temperatures often below freezing, but not for long periods. The average January and February temperature is 4.8°C (39°F) The lowest temperature I have ever recorded was –15°C ( 5°F )
The summer is quite sunny but with the temperatures rarely reaching 30°C (90°F) Summers are dry especially June and July and in the whole year our rainfall is less than 600 mm (24 inches).
Like many places we can have very cold winter and spring winds from which the more tender plants must be sheltered.
I hope that this brief outline will give you an idea as to the suitability of the different plants on offer for your own climate.
Like many people were are now experiencing many unusual weather patterns. The overall temperature seems to have risen but with has come lots more cloud giving more rain and a lot less sunshine.
This article was originally published on the web at oviatt-ham.demon.co.uk (Malcolm Oviatt-Ham, Cambridge), however that website is defunct at 2014. The copyright is with Malcolm Oviatt-Ham.