The last Blog looked at the welcomed increase in rare butterflies but seems they will have been blown away this week as heavy wind and rain  has swept across the country causing a good degree of damage to the garden. I covered  many plants with cloches,  and not just those which are frost tender. The low temperatures wind and rain are very inhospitable for new plants and a cloche will protect against the heavy down pours which can damage the tender growth. The wind has whipped it's way around some of thetalker perennials, such as the Delphiniums  which have taken a real battering with some broken stalks which is disappointing.  Earlier staking would have helped, but we have to contend with soggy gardens, floods and a drought; hard to imagine but so typical of the conditions gardeners battle with. Part of the fascination of gardening is that seasons are so varied and unpredictable, testing the gardeners skill and patience. 

During this chilly spell bring tender plants back under cover, and protect new growth. The only good news is the chill also puts the slugs off. They will be back- for lots of tips on how to deal with slugs follow the link