APRIL,COME SHE WILL.

I turned the page on the calender this morning and observed that the picture for the month showed a stream splashing over a small waterfall,in the background an ancient footbridge and all around the brilliant intensity of new leaves glistening in the sunshine.

Then I looked out of the window.

The bare black branches of the lime trees in the lane were being tossed by a vicious East wind in which flecks of snow were also being blow. The grass in the field was seared by frost and as yellow as old parchment. Clouds heavy with more trouble scudded across the sky and the very occasional flash of watery sun did nothing to dispel the feeling of gloom.

This will ,it seems be yet another short growing season for farmers and growers,and of course for amateurs,such as myself. Our local garden centre is already selling off it,s Spring plants at half price and still no one it tempted to buy ,they have learned from bitter experience over the last few years that it is useless to attempt to grow even the most hardy perennials in this climate;unless of course one is willing to go to the expense of heating a green house.

New pre-ordered stock arrives daily in huge pantechnicon,s from Holland and so the unsold stock must be sold at a greatly reduced price or else thrown into a skip. All too often this year the later has been the case and there is now an air of quiet desperation amongst the staff, and for that matter the customers too.

Last spring was so cold that by the time plants could safely be put out the season was too short for many of them to produce a crop. On the outskirts of London last June there were several sharp frosts by the river which blackened the centres of the strawberry flowers ,thus spoiling the crop.

This year it is even worse, at least last year there was a warm spell in April which allowed the damson blossom to set fruit, This year the blossom is almost out and even if we were not getting a frost every night the weather is far to cold for bee,s hence no pollination,hence no damsons.

We must hope for a change in the weather in time for the apple and pear trees, last year of course it rained through the entire flowering period so once again,no bees.

Speaking as someone who grew up in a farming community and as a gardener of long standing

I must say that we cannot sustain our current agriculture for many more years if these conditions continue. Crops rotting in the ground for whatever reason will feed no one,that is a fact!

We are being fooled in to thinking all is well be the mounds of imported foodstuffs in our supermarkets and shops. I will be surprised if there is a single spear of English Asparagus any where in the country,or early cauliflowers either, last years root crops rotted in the ground because of the torrential rain, this year looks set to be a re-run...... more of the same.

I have no answer to these problem and I am not at all sure that those with the power to effect a change are even asking the questions.

I have come a long way from the pretty calender photograph to be sure and after all the gloom and doom it would be spurious to wish you a Happy Easter.

Let me wish instead for you , and for us all a spell of warmer weather, a fine summer and a good harvest. I shall be praying to the old Gods in the hope that it might be so.