The predictions had been for a cold winter again this year, and it certainly looked like this would be the case as the trees were covered in berries. But the late autumn was warm and benign right until near the end of the month when suddenly the temperatures plunged and some early snow fell. This year I was better prepared than the previous, and wrapped up all the more tender outdoor plants, including my camelias well before the icy winds arrived. Even so, the cold weather and the light snow cover only lasted a couple of weeks and then the warm weather returned.
The vegetable garden was still providing some food and flowers this month: the sweet peas lasted well into November and after they had gone I left the wigwam up supporting them to enjoy the structure. Clearing out the beds took quite some time: removing the all the hazel twigs supports and then digging over the earth in preparation for the following spring. There were still a few celariac and parsnip left in the ground which I dug up ... also some leeks and some spring onions which I have left to mature a little more. The purple sprouting broccoli is starting to put out its hazy-purple fresh flowering shoots, which taste delicious straight from the garden. But over all, everything is dying back as the year comes to an end. I left my daughter to pull out the last sweetcorn plants and throw them onto the compost along with the leafy remains of the annual flowers, such as cosmos and nasturtium.