Is It A Sign?

Is it me, or did the leaves not change to their Autumn shades as early this year?  Normally, September and October is when I become aware of the vivid colour changes, but truth be told, I didn’t really seem to start noticing it until November.  At the same time, I noticed a couple of Daffodils, with leaves already 6 inches tall, when I was visiting the village of Flore, in Northamptonshire.  Meanwhile, at the same time again, locally here, in Oxfordshire, I noticed some spring ‘weeds’ already emerging, and even a number of Dandelions in full bloom, months earlier than they should have been. I remember when I lived in The Peak District, the fields there were often bright yellow with Dandelions in late Spring and Early Summer, so was taken aback to see so many in flower here in November.

Is this a sign of global warming, whether its man-made or not, or do you see these anomalies year on year?  I’d be interested to hear what you are seeing at a time of year that maybe you shouldn’t. Or what you are in fact not seeing that realistically perhaps you should.  We’re not likely to end the debate in these pages of whether man-made influenced global warming is real or not, but I’m interested to hear what’s happening out there on the ground as it were.

By the way, I’ve been asked if I will be seen out and about less now I occasionally need to use a wheelchair. No chance, I’ll be getting my wheels just as muddy as my walking boots, so I hope to bump into you in a greenspace soon. If you see me out and about, come say “hello”.

Happy Gardening

Stuart Mabbutt - Wildlife Gardening Specialist

01865 747243 - www.wildmaninspires.co.uk