[Umbrian]

After an unusually mild autumn that has turned very wet in the last week or so we are now being forecast snow for this weekend Time to batten down the hatches and hope that the temperatures do not plummet too low as the ground is absolutely saturated and the results could be disastrous for more borderline plants   

[Daisy]

Did your snow turn up Carole?
I used to love it when it snowed in England. Only if the ground wasn't frozen when it fell though. That way, it would make a lovely duvet over the plants and keep them from freezing.
It is getting chilly here in Crete, but not cold yet.
We have had a lot of strong, warm, drying winds from the south, out of Africa lately.
They seem to be more destructive than the cold northerly ones.
They wrecked the flowers and leaves on my Brugmansia.
However the wind direction has changed now, so it is chillier, but calmer thank goodness.
Daisy

[Umbrian]

  No snow yet with us but it fell on higher ground quite close to us. However it has turned very cold -1c two mornings ago and the saturated ground has turned rock hard, completely frozen, so I am hoping that snow does not arrive having the reverse effect to the one you described! I have moved and protected all my more tender subjects (in pots) to their winter positions and am hoping for the best as usual How is your garden looking now after the mealy bug invasion?

[Daisy]

Devastation!!! At least in parts.
I have replanted a lot of the mealy bug razed areas, but of course the new plants are tiny at present. So, there are a lot of empty spaces.
This will be our fifth winter here and so far, I haven't seen a frost.
Lots of snow on the mountains around every winter, but not yet here at 300 metres above sea level.
Daisy

[Joanna Savage]

After a week (in Toscana) in which snow was followed by intractable ice, this morning the rain gauge has overflowed at 150mm. Sodden describes the garden. Buxus has performed well and returned to the vertical position. Most of the Phlomis are a complete mess, falling down the slope and on themselves. I would like to cut them back, but it is all new growth. Do I risk losing flowers if I cut new growth now, or are the plants likely to put on more new growth between now and flowering?

Arbutus andrachne has remained vertical, but young oaks are falling over. They should regrow if I cut them back. In the park like area outside my fence there are many olive branches down. Those olives have never quite recovered from the '85  cold ansd subsequent covering with brambles.

[Umbrian]

You have obviously been suffering from the strong winds that hit us in Umbria too. I would tend to leave the Phlomis and see what happens regarding the weather to come, the growth ,even if battered, will afford some protection to the plants if we get more severe weather and tidying up can be done later. I have not suffered too much damage but did have to stop and remove a (small) tree that ws blocking our access road the other day. Am wondering what the fates have in store for us in the New Year, January and February can be the most difficult months here

[Alisdair]

Joanna, I'd second Carole's advise, partly because I rather doubt if the phlomis would put up a new set of flowering shoots in time for spring.

[Joanna Savage]

Thank you so much to Carole and Alisdair. I'll put up with the fallen plants until warmer weather arrives and then I will stake them.

[Umbrian]

I have presumed that you are talking about Phlomis fruticosa Joanne that should not really need staking. My plants are about 12 years old and have a strong woody framework. I try to prune them after flowering, preferring the chance of a second flush of flowers to the admittedly, attractive seed heads. This keeps the plants strong and the new growth matures well before the winter weather comes. I cut down to a good strong new pair of leaves and recovery is fast. Neglected bushes can be pruned hard into old wood and will send up new growth readily.

[Joanna Savage]

Umbrian, by far the floppiest Phlomis is P.purpurea. However, it's growth habit has meant that it is easy to propagate, so I have three or four, all about three years old. And yes, I like the seed heads too and am always hoping for a surprise seedling so it is usually well into September before I cut them back. P. chrysophylla is also having difficulty supporting itself. It is beginning to have a woody basal stem so the pruning technique will need to build on that.

As an aside re. the snow, I was astonished when a metre long green snake jumped across my path from one terrace to another yesterday. It had been hanging out in a sunny spot where the voles are tunnelling. But this was after a week of subzero temps and 170 mms rain. What is the trigger for hibernation? If it is short days, they are running out of time.

[Daisy]

I have just come back from a trip to the local town. There is a cold northerly wind and all the mountains are covered in snow.
This is the first proper snow of the winter.
Luckily, my garden is only 300 metres above sea level, so it has not reached us yet.
I have a thermometer just outside the window by me. It says it is 5 degrees centigrade. Brrrrr.
Daisy

[yvesans]

Snow down to about 150 mts in Cyprus this morning ! most unusual.

[John J]

A friend who lives in Nicosia e-mailed us some photos she took at 8am today showing snow on the Pentadaktylos Range which is quite unusual. As I was writing this post we had a short (5 mins) snow flurry here in Kolossi (30/40 m asl) which is almost unheard of. The only time I can remember it happening in my time on the island was the winter of 1967/68.

[yvesans]

This is North Pentadaktylos (Five Fingers) has not melted and more forecast tonight.

[yvesans]

Here is a picture at St Hilaron Castle