Dahlias to last

ALTHOUGH we had more than 280 hours of sunshine according to Reading University, the weather statistics for Shiplake were what would be expected for September.

For many months, temperatures have been two degrees above the 30-year average. There was one day when it reached 27C and one night when it dropped to 1C but there were no air frosts. The mean for the month was 14.21C, the 30-year average being 14.16C.

Rain totalled 53.9mm, just over the average of 50.81mm. There is still some colour in the garden, but for how long? If October is frost free, the dahlias could last a little longer; but it will certainly be about 4C colder. My thanks, as ever, to Denis Gilbert, from Shiplake, for the statistics.