The cannas and begonias have succumbed to the recent frosts. A fuchsia in a large container still requires regular watering though because of the dry autumn. I wonder when we will see significant rainfall again after a very dry summer and now autumn in this part of England.

I share your concern Nick. Although I continue to harvest tomatoes, it's so dry and I won't water with these frosts (3 now). I'm convinced that drier freezes do less harm.

Sorry about your cannas.

No problem with the cannas (and dahlias) as the rootstocks/tubers will be fine and go into a dark cool (frost free hopefully) garage. As you say as long as soil/composts are relatively dry, plants seem to cope with frost more often than not. It's the cold and wet that kills them. Does anyone remember the much vaunted olive plantation/grove in Devon quite a few years back? All gone of course as far as I know. Too wet and cold in the winter.

Wild strawberries still fruiting in a Tub.   

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1522414/First-olive-grove-takes-root-in-sunny-Devon.html

I wonder if the Romans' dreams were similarly dashed. Vines grow ok though. Maybe another decade or two...

I am still harvesting yellow plum and some red tomatoes.

The orange tree is breaking into blossom.

A nearby horse chestnut has about 10 rosettes of new, bright leaves and some blossom spikes showing pink. This happened in October 1969 but this is much later.

Ceanothus and sage in flower and there ae still tomatoes ripening- not sure how, as we've had a half-dozen ground frosts so far.

Nonetheless, I must get up and at 'em- straggly browning plants and pots strewn all over the garden.

Self-sown nasturtiums coming up in quantity

I think it's time to shake off the mower shavings and look garden-ward, now the Christmas season is, to us at least, a bygone.

The mild conditions once again are bringing surprises, including more blossoms on the oranges, a silly tomato still in green leaf with little green set fruits, and leaves uncurling on the rhubarb.

Usual fayre includes snowdrop tips whitening and crocus spikes all over the lawn.

Plenty signs of the mildness here. I cut my lawn today. Now, that's not really a sign of mildness. I find a mid winter cut useful as it buys me a bit of time off mowing in the spring. Plus, more free time at this time of the year, so if the weather allows and the ground isn't saturated, it's a good idea in my book. Now, I'm pretty sure that a cut at this time of the year helps the moss. But that's no big deal for me. Just don't tell my wife who gets a bit animated about moss on the lawn! 

However, what surprised me was the number of daisies in flower on the lawn. I've never noticed that before at this time of the year, though I'm sure that it's not unprecedented. I also noticed a couple of crocuses practically in flower. I don't recall ever seeing that so early in the year.

Two sharp frosts have destroyed the self-sown nasturtiums which had got too ambitious - only to be expected

37 crocuses flowering on the north lawn; 7 snowdrop bunches shimmering in the woodland bank.

 My snowdrops have gone awol and I’ve never had crocuses. But you just gave me an idea Bertie.  There are loads of crocuses in my mum’s garden, which is up for sale again!  There might not be as many next year!   My borders are full of Tête-à-tête and Muscari, which are not in flower yet but I’m sure I can find room for a dozen crocuses or ten.  

Snowdrops have appeared in force over the last couple of weeks - curiously, later than usual given that it's been such a mild winter

Lawn is a riot of crocuses, hellebores are nodding in the breeze, snowdrops shiny on the bank and a single of each of honeybee, bumblebee and hoverfly around the borders.

Tete a tete daffodils will be blooming soon. The buds are showing yellow. 11 Snowdrops are still in flower. Saw one light mauve crocus in flower in the grass by th side of the bungalow. started to buy herb seeds First packet was Dill. Still got Basil from las year's packet.

Over 40 spears of garlic up and looking strong- average 20cm high.

Doesn't take much to throw the back out and so i I didn't do much and the back is complaining. Big bunch of Cana split off into to big clumps and some misplaced summer bulbs split and repotted ( Wish they were Garlic! they must of put on over 500% of their bilk when I plkanted them 2 years ago!)

Pond sorted ready for spawn ( will try and save some from the beast but not too many as it is still mordor beyond my fence so there's nowhere for the blighters to go...... one more year in the belly of whatever beast is gobbling the spawn!).

The dry has meant I also got the decks scrubbed into summer order and away from the winter skating rink that they become! 

Now resting my back in the last of the sun ( of course cloud is coming in now....great!!!)

At least you were outside while the day was giving its best!

I'm debating with myself whether to plant my first early potatoes over the weekend. I usually leave it a little later for fear of frost but the fairly benign conditions of late are making me think about giving them a head start. I've got a fine royal collection of potato seed this year. Red Duke of York as first earlies, British Queens(a very popular crop in Ireland, ironically enough) as second earlies and then King Edwards and Record for my main crop.

A bit risky perhaps Lionel. Is it still a tradition to get them in on Good Friday?

The salad fields are beginning operation in this part of Dorset. They were irrigating yesterday which is of course early.

Yes, probably a bit risky alright  Apparently, the traditional date for first planting here is St. Patrick's day. I really can't figure that one out though because we can expect sharpish frosts most years well into April and I'm in a reasonably mild location so mid March seems a silly time to plant. Still, I think that I'll chance it this year. I chitted my Red Duke of York a few weeks ago and they are just begging to be put in the ground at this stage. If we do get frost, I will try to cover them overnight in newspaper or something  I just have a feeling that this is a year that I might get away with it. 

Our neighbours are keen users of chicken poo. It doesn't half pong though. Minimal rain today as expected though might just get a light shower looking at the radar.