History repeats itself. Historians repeat each other - Philip Guedalla
After a warm, wet and dull February, March continued with the warmth and discarded the wet and dull bits. If this warmth continues, we may have another record-breaking hot year in Herefordshire. In the garden we await the unfurling of the leaves and continue to enjoy the Spring bulb season: daffodils and crocuses at the beginning of the month and tulips at the end. This month's photo (Photo 1) was taken on the 10th March when the daffodils and hyacinths were on show. We used to have a lot more daffodils but they don't seem to proliferate in the garden. Not quite sure why?
Photo 1: Back Garden on 10th March 2026
Another 'spot the wood pigeon' competition in Photo 2 ...
Photo 2: Where's Woody (March 2026)
... with all the daily garden photos for March collated in Video 1 ...
Video 1: Daily Photos of the Rear Garden (March 2026)
Table 1 summarises some key weather stats from our Davis Weather Station in the back garden. Only one frosty night where the temperature dipped just below 0 ℃, so hardly a frost at all. A couple of very warm sunny days on the 18th and 31st were almost summer-like. Apart from one stormy period when nearly an inch of rain fell on the 12th/13th of the month, there were lots of dry days; even when it did rain, it was only mildly inconvenient showers. Sunshine-wise, March was a huge improvement on February. Blustery conditions were experienced on the 24th of the month as stormy weather hit Northern England and we caught the edges. We would happily settle for March conditions like these.
Table 1: Summary Weather Statistics for March 2026
Daily minimum and maximum temperatures for March are reproduced in Figure 1. Click on the figure to see a larger version. Bearing in mind this is early Spring, daytime temperatures reached 10 ℃ or more on all but two days. Winter coats, gloves and hats could be safely left at home most days. And, because nighttime temperatures were generally mild, plant growth was rapid.
Figure 1: Daily Min/Max Temperatures (March 2026)
Daily rainfall and solar radiation values (a proxy for sunshine hours) are shown in Figure 2. The second half of March was much sunnier than the first and there was very little rain. Clearly, there were some dull days during the earlier part of the month but these were largely forgotten once the sunshine days of the second half arrived on the scene. The second half of March was also much drier and I irrigated the onion crop in the kitchen garden a couple of times. Some local farmers were also irrigating their crops during this dry period.
Figure 2: Daily Rainfall & Sunshine (March 2026)
I have collected seven years of weather data (2020 - 2026) for the month of March and these are presented in Figure 3 & Figure 4. Average temperatures have been remarkably constant with this year (2026) being just a tad bit warmer. Despite this consistency in the average monthly temperature, there is still an unpredictable variability in the minimum and maximum monthly temperature; note that the minimum temperature for 2026 does not show in Figure 1 because of its zero value. Frosts are still a feature on March so gardeners may want to delay planting out until April or be prepared with frost mitigation methods.
Figure 3: Time Series (2020 - 2026) of March Temperature Data (Hereford City)
March rainfall is unpredictable, varying by a factor of 10 or more between the driest and wettest months of March. Not unexpectedly, dry months are associated with sunny months. While the wind still blows in March (Figure 4), interestingly, there have been no named storms during March over the past 7 years.
Figure 4: Time Series (2020 - 2026) of Rain, Sun and Wind Data (Hereford City)
The next three figures are taken from the UK Met Office's Monthly Report for March 2026. UK mean temperatures (anomalies relative to the 1991 - 2020 period) are shown in Figure 5. Apart from the odd cold spot in Scotland, the rest of Britain saw a good deal of warmth. Herefordshire, including Hereford, experienced temperatures about 1 ℃ above the long-term average. The mean March temperature, based on historical weather data from the nearby Credenhill weather station, is 6.8 ℃. The observed mean temperature recorded by our weather station was 9 ℃; i.e. 2.2 ℃ above the long-term average. Taking into account rounding errors and the Urban Heat Island Effect for a city-based weather station, our temperature data are compatible with the Met Office's own data.
Figure 5: UK Mean Temperature Anomalies (March 2026)
Figure 6 (relative UK rainfall) shows below average rainfall in March for southern England, including Herefordshire. Quite the contrast with the above average rainfall in the previous month (February 2026). Again, based on historical data from Credenhill, we would expect about 50 mm of rain in March. The observed rainfall (39 mm, Table 1) was only 80% of the 'expected' total; in good agreement with the Met Office data (Figure 6).
Figure 6: Relative UK Rainfall (March 2026)
Relative sunshine hours for the UK are presented in Figure 7. Most of the UK, including Herefordshire, had slightly above 'typical' sunshine hours in March. I recorded approximately 120 sunshine hours in our Hereford back garden (Table 1) which is about 5% above the average for the English Midlands. March 2026 was only the third sunniest for our Hereford location (2020 - 2026).
Figure 7: Relative UK Sunshine Hours (March 2026)
Jobs in the Garden
Pruning back the clematis on the summerhouse. Shredding to produce about 500 L of woody waste. Might need to take this down to the Household Waste & Recycling Centre as home composting this much 'brown' garden waste will be difficult. Remind Mary to cut back in autumn when the wood is greener!
Seed potatoes and onion sets planted out.
Mulch asparagus and soft fruit beds with homemade unseived 'soil improver' (aka compost)
Maturity is a high price to pay for growing up - Tom Stoppard (Where are they Now?)
After leaving Hampton Court Castle, we drove to Aulden Farm which was only 6 miles away - although it seemed further down those narrow Herefordshire lanes. This garden is open to visitors on selected dates and this day (18th April 2026) was one of those days. The garden was open as part of the National Garden Scheme where you can look around other people's outdoor living spaces, both large and small, for a very reasonable fee (typically £5 per person). There is usually tea and cake on offer!
Photo 1: Statuesque Fennel, Aulden Farm (18/4/26)
Aulden Farm could not be more different to Hampton Court Gardens. There are no formal flower beds, just lots of hidden corners and spaces, loose natural planting and views over the surrounding countryside. The cake was very nice!
Photo 2: One of the Nooks & Crannies, Aulden Farm (18/4/26)
The garden has a collection of Siberian (aka Beardless) Irises - there were a few specimens in flower but it was a little early (May-June for the best displays). I've copied the guide/leaflet which provides more information on the garden and its layout. Definitely worth a visit if you prefer a more natural form of planting. There is a plant sales area if anything takes your fancy.
If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit: no use being a damn fool about it - W. C. Fields
Hampton Court Palace is a well-known landmark in Richmond upon Thames, London; famous as a residence of Henry VIII. We used to live nearby (about 5 miles away) and visited often when we lived in London. Until moving to Hereford in the early 2000s, we had no idea there was another Hampton Court, albeit a Castle rather than a Palace.
Photo 1: Hampton Court Castle, Herefordshire Viewed from the River Lugg Footpath (April 2026)
Hampton Court Castle (or just plain Hampton Court) is a castellated country mansion situated about 10 miles (16 km) north of Hereford. For history buffs, it predates its more famous London namesake (1427 vs 1515). The castle is mainly used as a wedding venue these days although it is open to the public on selecte dates. The gardens, however, are open to the public every day between April and September inclusive. Special events take place in the grounds such as falconry & jousting displays. In the past we have attended an open air theatre (Shakespeare, of course) and craft fairs.
On our most recent visit (18th April 2026), it was just a normal opening day and we were looking for a nice lunch and a gentle walk. Hampton Court gardens offers formal and informal gardens including a maze, a sunken garden, a walled kitchen garden, riverside walks and, importantly, a cafe doing light lunches and teas. Entrance fees are £12 per adult and £8 per child (10% saving on these prices with on-line booking).
After paying for our tickets, we entered the walled kitchen garden to be a wonderful display of multi-headed white and yellow daffodils.
Moving on through the formal gardens we headed for the Orangery Cafe (Photo 1, left-hand side of the Castle) ...
Photo 3: Formal Gardens Viewed from the Wisteria Arch (18/4/26)
... because Mary was hungry!! The cafe is a little on the pricey side but the food is nicely prepared and tasty (pasty for Mary, sandwich for me).
After lunch, we headed for the river and lake walks. Apparently, there are a number of benefits to walking after a meal. The river walk follows the River Lugg for about a mile and at about the halfway point there is an opportunity to follow the path to the lake (half-a-mile or so). Allow 1 -1½ hours for both walks. It was a warm sunny day which encouraged the butterflies to make an appearance. We saw a rather scraggy Brimstone beside the River Lugg trail ...
Photo 4: Brimstone Butterfly, River path, Hampton Court Gardens (18/4/26)
... and quite a few Peacock butterflies. However, the most abundant butterfly was the Orange Tip. Which made perfect sense as its food plant, the Cuckoo Flower (aka Lady's Mantle), was everywhere.
Photo 7: Rear of Hampton Court Castle from Across the Lake (18/4/26)
Time to retrace our steps and have a look around the other 'gardens' that Hampton Court has to offer.
Photo 8: The Dutch Gardens @ Hampton Court Castle (18/4/26)
Entering the Sunken Garden ...
Photo 9: The Sunken Garden, Hampton Court Castle (18/4/26)
The Sunken Garden has a pool and waterfall which I am duty bound to video ...
Video 1: Waterfall @ Hampton Court Castle (18/4/26)
... and in slow motion as well ...
Video 2: Waterfall @ Hampton Court Castle in Slow Motion (18/4/26)
The maze is great fun, especially with children, but we were hoping to catch another open garden, just a few miles away, for tea & cake. So back to the car park for us.
* The Humber Brook is one on many tributaries in the Wye Catchment that are regularly tested by Citizen Scientists. While the Humber Brook may look clean and full of life, its chemical analysis shows excessive amounts of phosphates and nitrates above the regulatory limits. It also suffers periodically from soil run-off resulting in extremely turbid water.
February 2026 in Hereford was a dull grey month though, thankfully not cold for the time of year. Just one overnight frost and a temperature high of 17 ℃ on the twenty first of the month! Not too much colour in the garden apart from some early spring bulbs (daffodils), the viburnum bush (centre stage) and the hellebores (Christmas Rose). Thank goodness for evergreen shrubs; especially the Sarcococca with its heavy sweet scent. This month's selected photo (Photo 1) was taken towards the end of the month: it features my 'mobile citizen science laboratory' in the foreground. I was either just about to set off or had just returned from my water testing duties.
Photo 1: Back Garden on the 25th February 2026
All February's daily garden photos are collated in Video 1 ...
Video 1: Daily Photos of the Rear Garden (February 2026)
Selected weather stats from the Davis Vantage 2 Pro Weather Station in our back garden are summarised in Table 1. February was much milder than January with mainly above freezing temperatures throughout the month and some welcome warmth in the final week. It rained most days and but, at least, it was 'soft rain'. Not a great month for gardening unless you like to garden in the rain!
Table 1: Summary Weather Statistics for February 2026
Daily minimum/maximum temperatures are presented graphically in Figure 1. A single night (14th) with sub-zero temperatures (-1 ℃) during the coldest part of the month followed by an uptick in daytime and nighttime temperatures at the end of the month.
Daily rainfall and sunshine hours are shown in graphic form in Figure 2. It rained on 23 of the 28 days in February which also meant the sun did not shine much either. The overcast conditions were largely responsible for the lack of overnight frosts.
I now have seven years of weather data for the month of February covering the years 2020 to 2026. Various temperature parameters for this time period are collated in Figure 3. Despite the shortness of this time series, the month of February does seem to be getting slightly warmer. Four out of the last five years, for example, have seen maximum daytime temperatures of 17 ℃ or more.
Figure 3: Time Series (2020 - 2026) of February Temperatures (Hereford City)
The 2020 - 2026 time series for rainfall, sunshine hours and maximum wind speed in the month of February are presented in Figure 4. Precipitation levels are highly variable whereas sunshine hours are relatively constant, perhaps decreasing slightly. It appears we may need to get used to dull February whether they are dry or wet.
Figure 4: Time Series (2020 - 2026) of February Rain/Sunshine/Wind (Hereford City)
The following three figures are taken from the UK Met Office's Monthly Report for February 2026. Figure 5 shows the UK mean temperature anomaly (relative to the 1991 - 2020 average); I have marked out Herefordshire on the map. According to the long-term weather data recorded at Credenhill, located just 4 miles away, February's average temperature is 5 ℃. Figure 5 shows February 2026 in Herefordshire was 1.5 ℃ to 2.5 ℃ warmer than normal while Table 1 suggests it was 3 ℃ warmer than usual. Pretty good agreement bearing in mind the Urban Heat Island (UHI) Effect of the city and the limitations of my Davis Weather Station.
Figure 5: UK Mean Temperature Anomalies (February 2026)
January 2026 rainfall for the UK, relative to the 1991 - 2020 long-term average, is reproduced in Figure 6. Central England, including Herefordshire, and much of the south coast of England had above average rainfall in January 2026 (Figure 6). Historical data from the nearby Credenhill Weather Station indicates an expected rainfall of 51 mm for February. This compares with the 79 mm recorded by my weather station (Table 1); i.e. 160% above normal. Figure 6 shows that much of Hereford received double the expected rainfall in February with some parts of the county 'only' receiving 150 -200 % of the long-term average. Our back garden seems to fall into the latter category.
Figure 6: Relative UK Rainfall (February 2026)
Figure 7 shows the relative sunshine hours in the UK for February 2026. Apart from the Western Isles, the rest of the UK suffered from sunshine deprivation in February. For Central England/Midlands, the long-term average for sunshine hours in February is 76 hours. The 60 sunshine hours recorded on my Davis Weather Station (Table 1) would, therefore, be around 75% of the expected amount. The Met Office data (Figure 7) was a little more pessimistic at between 50 - 70 % of normal but still reasonably close.
Figure 7: Relative UK Sunshine Hours (February 2026)
Jobs in the Garden
Another quiet month with the usual hot composting - a challenge due to a shortage of 'green' material this time of year
Still using last year's onion crop and harvesting celeriac & spinach
Prune the grapevines
Mulch fruit garden with homemade soil conditioner (aka compost)
Flora & Fauna in the Garden
Blackbird (x1)
Blue Tit (x3)
Great Tit (x1)
House Sparrow (x20)
Robin (x1)
Starling (x6)
Wood Pigeon (x5)
And, finally, a few photos from the garden highlighting spring bulb colour ...
Photo 2: Early Garden Daffodil (12th February 2026)
Photo 3: Crocuses in the Raised Bed (16th February 2026)
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