"Sacha" wrote in message
...
I have no real idea why I feel this but I get the idea we're in for an
early
onset to autumn. Here and there in very scattered localities I've noticed
the small beginnings of a change in the colour of leaves on trees, really
tiny but just enough to make me wonder. Anyone else?
--

I agree. There are various flowers in my garden that aren't usually in
bloom until the end of August, and my blueberries are starting to ripen a
month early. It could be down to the good summer we've been having, but
today, even though it was sunny and warm, it felt like autumn in a way that
I can't quite put my finger on.

On 13/7/06 23:23, in article ,
"Jane" wrote:

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
I have no real idea why I feel this but I get the idea we're in for an
early
onset to autumn. Here and there in very scattered localities I've noticed
the small beginnings of a change in the colour of leaves on trees, really
tiny but just enough to make me wonder. Anyone else?
--

I agree. There are various flowers in my garden that aren't usually in
bloom until the end of August, and my blueberries are starting to ripen a
month early. It could be down to the good summer we've been having, but
today, even though it was sunny and warm, it felt like autumn in a way that
I can't quite put my finger on.

That's just it. It's that elusive 'something'. Some flowers are coming out
and going over rather more quickly than I'd expect and one or two mornings
and evenings have been comparatively chilly. But that said, tonight is hot
and very still and everything smells delicious in the garden! Very, very
weird!

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

I think it is more to do with the sustained high temperatures coupled
with a diminishing water table - even here in the South West. It's
true we've had a few heavy storms, but there has been very little in
the way of persistent rainy periods. Several of the months this year
have been the driest on record and a few thunderstorms are not going to
counteract that. High temperatures and sunshine mean that large plants
and trees are pumping huge quntities of water. When that is freely
available, the result is lush green growth. When available ground
water dimishes, plants respond by getting rid of excess foliage. I've
seem this kind of 'premature-autumnation' (!!!*!!!) many times before
and it has never preceded an early true autumn or winter.

A couple of years ago this happened followed by September rains, which
brought spring growth on some trees! First frosts didn't arrive until
the following mid January and then they were only slight. We are in
for cooler, fresher nights over the next few days due to the wind being
in the east. It has to travel across a relatively cold North Sea and
coupled with clear nights, temperatures are bound to be dip after
sunset. In the far north it could mean a few very light ground frosts,
but way of compensation most of us are in for hot sunny weather that is
far more bearable due to lower humidity and cool nights.

I've been using a US method of measuring 'growing heat units' or
'growing degree days as they say over there. Basically it looks at the
average amount of heat above a base-line on any one day and is
accumulated over the year. It gives an interesting insight into how
warm a period is from a growing point of view. Not much point if you
only have hardy plants, but useful for those of us growing exotics.
Using a base of 15.6C. (60F) June this year was about 12% warmer than
June 2005 and in just 2 weeks of July, we've had over 30% more heat
than the whole of this June and 75% of last July's total. This is a
warm summer. Ooops, getting a bit anorak-ish :|

Jane writes
"Sacha" wrote in message
...
I have no real idea why I feel this but I get the idea we're in for an
early
onset to autumn. Here and there in very scattered localities I've noticed
the small beginnings of a change in the colour of leaves on trees, really
tiny but just enough to make me wonder. Anyone else?
--

I agree. There are various flowers in my garden that aren't usually in
bloom until the end of August, and my blueberries are starting to ripen a
month early. It could be down to the good summer we've been having, but
today, even though it was sunny and warm, it felt like autumn in a way that
I can't quite put my finger on.

Could it possibly be that things are flowering now that aren't usually
in blook till the end of August? ;-)



--
Kay

Sacha writes
On 13/7/06 23:23, in article ,
"Jane" wrote:

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
I have no real idea why I feel this but I get the idea we're in for an
early
onset to autumn. Here and there in very scattered localities I've noticed
the small beginnings of a change in the colour of leaves on trees, really
tiny but just enough to make me wonder. Anyone else?
--

I agree. There are various flowers in my garden that aren't usually in
bloom until the end of August, and my blueberries are starting to ripen a
month early. It could be down to the good summer we've been having, but
today, even though it was sunny and warm, it felt like autumn in a way that
I can't quite put my finger on.

That's just it. It's that elusive 'something'. Some flowers are coming out
and going over rather more quickly than I'd expect

That can be explained by the hot weather. But because we associate
flowers with seasons so strongly, the fact that the mock orange is
already well over makes it feel later in the year than it really is.

and one or two mornings
and evenings have been comparatively chilly.

They often are at this time of year. It's not till August that evenings
are reliably warm. When we used to holiday in June the one thing that
was very clear was that dull rainy days could be very cold indeed in a
way that they weren't in August.

But that said, tonight is hot
and very still and everything smells delicious in the garden! Very, very
weird!


--
Kay

K wrote:
That can be explained by the hot weather. But because we associate
flowers with seasons so strongly, the fact that the mock orange is
already well over makes it feel later in the year than it really is.

Indeed! It feels like France to me - very hot days and a chill in the
night and heavy thundering rain. I've never known Manchester like this.
My nephew from Marseille is here and he cannot remember the North West
of England being like this. I think it's nice personnaly )

They often are at this time of year. It's not till August that evenings
are reliably warm. When we used to holiday in June the one thing that
was very clear was that dull rainy days could be very cold indeed in a
way that they weren't in August.

I always ask my family to visit either in May or September because of
guaranteed nice weather. Those coming from the South of France, they
have a pleasant respite from the heat if they come in September and the
gardens don't look and feel 'cooked' as much as they do where they come
from.