Erratum : Last month should have read: 'Keep on sweeping!' as this autumn's double dip has meant many leaves were still on the trees until the end of November. Also, 'Keep on mowing', as the grass has continued to grow quite strongly. A visit from the badgers at the beginning of November meant worrying about the grass condition was pointless - most of it was strewn all over the place, like a ploughed field! A visit usually occurs after a period of drought. Luckily, I am good at jigsaws, so a massive fitting together of pieces of lawn ensued. I have to say it's now a bit lumpy, but knitted together pretty well.

My seed catalogues have been sitting in a drawer, waiting for the weather to change. I like to get my order in early, as there is always more choice. New favourites are: Browallia, a half-hardy annual, with mid-blue Plumbago-like flowers. It was the first to start flowering and the last to finish, gorgeous. I was also pretty impressed by Alonsoa, both the scarlet, and the pink. Their dainty flowers resemble Diascia, but are a little taller. These will over-winter if kept frost-free.

My Datura (Brugmansia) has had to go into the conservatory. It had 32 flowers on it at the end of October. It is too big really, so I took eightinch- long cuttings and put them into a tall jam jar containing water only. This has been left in a propagator, but a warm windowsill would work just as well. Masses of roots are now showing.

Happy New Year to everyone!