Good news everyone

[RogerBacardy]

double post - sorry

[RogerBacardy]

Really enjoying this sunny weather. 3 days of gardening, otherwise not been out there since October.

Sun's at 27 degrees (London) right now* so it's making a big difference to the temps


*Edit for Dave B 's comment below:

Obviously, it's dark now, I meant 27 degrees at noon.

[Dave Brown]

Really enjoying this sunny weather. 3 days of gardening, otherwise not been out there since October.

Sun's at 27 degrees (London) right now, so it's making a big difference to the temps

It was 27 degrees at 12:12 pm here

[otorongo]

2 days ago I was in Rio and the sun was 81 degrees or something like that
In New York it's 27 degrees on the winter solstice.
But it's so good to see the sun here at all, after what must have been one of the dullest winters on record.

[GREVILLE]

Best news of all is when the sun gives us 27 degrees

[GoggleboxUK]

Got to 10.8 here this afternoon but it was a chilly morning at just 4.6c at midday.

[RogerBacardy]

Well that was superb, 6 days of sunshine & above 10C midday temps Yesterday was about 15C!

Did loads of gardening & yesterday it was that hot that I went swimming twice, once over my way early morning and once over Dave's way late morning (half term so took kids to Larkfield Leisure Centre, between Maidestone & Gravesend).

I dug up 3 bamboo from the borders and replanted in buried large plastic planters (one of the planters was 50cm in diameter), to give them space to send up new culms, but mainly to keep them in check. A load of hassle but worthwhile to prevent problems in a few years. The soil felt warm, Perhaps the gravel mulch I used keeps the warmth in.

Also planted up a large phormium that went in a slightly shady spot (shady at the base) where a butia died last year. Been wondering what to plant there.

The best thing was that I was able to take up some really thick concrete next to the pond, so have liberated some extra planting space. I now have about 2ft square to plant up and it's in a really sunny spot, the sunniest spot in the garden! I'm thinking a few agaves would look good there and might survive winters unprotected.

Happy days!

[otorongo]

Wow, I wouldn't go swimming in the UK in February, the water must be something around 5C. For me, even 25C is a bit chilly, I like it to be 28 or above.

[RogerBacardy]

Sorry, I meant at a pool (well, 2 different pools)!

I've been swimming in the sea in April before, water was about 10C, it had a, cough, retracting effect!

[otorongo]

We have an outdoor heated pool in Hackney, it's at a constant 26C and open year round.

It's nice on those rare sunny late autumn or early spring days when you can swim some and then lie down on the concrete and soak up the sun, but the water still feels a bit chilly to me.

On a different note, they could put some nice tropical plants around it, e.g. less hardy palms. Such a wonderful microclimate being wasted There are no plants there at all, let alone tropicals.

When I lived in Spain, there was a natural geothermal pool near me with water that was 18C year round. The pool was very small, but you could tell the difference it made - the semi-deciduous cherimoya trees a couple of metres from it were green in the winter, while those further away had an autumnal look (brown / partly bare).

[cordyman]

There's an outdoor heated pool and jacuzzi at the gym, nice on a clear sky frosty morning, not sure what temp it is but you can relax very comfortably when its around 0*c

[cordyman]

Well that was superb, 6 days of sunshine & above 10C midday temps Yesterday was about 15C!

Did loads of gardening & yesterday it was that hot that I went swimming twice, once over my way early morning and once over Dave's way late morning (half term so took kids to Larkfield Leisure Centre, between Maidestone & Gravesend).

I dug up 3 bamboo from the borders and replanted in buried large plastic planters (one of the planters was 50cm in diameter), to give them space to send up new culms, but mainly to keep them in check. A load of hassle but worthwhile to prevent problems in a few years. The soil felt warm, Perhaps the gravel mulch I used keeps the warmth in.

Also planted up a large phormium that went in a slightly shady spot (shady at the base) where a butia died last year. Been wondering what to plant there.

The best thing was that I was able to take up some really thick concrete next to the pond, so have liberated some extra planting space. I now have about 2ft square to plant up and it's in a really sunny spot, the sunniest spot in the garden! I'm thinking a few agaves would look good there and might survive winters unprotected.

Happy days!

what kind of boo's have you containered?

[Dave Brown]

I think North West Kent has moved north to Svalbard. May have been sunny but below average for any winter month.

[cordyman]

x3 local stations, but look at the flatline today