ONE wonders just what sort of year we might expect in 2016?

In Sutton Poyntz, I picked a handful of Raspberries on Christmas Eve from my garden, then during a walk on Boxing Day I was picking Blackberries in Puddledock Lane.

Yesterday I found a dying baby robin under my pear tree, whilst next door a damson tree which was in full flower, had to be pruned as the branches were growing dangerously close to telephone wires. If we find nature attempting to balance itself out with frosts in March, will we see any fruit being produced from our gardens this year?

Come Easter with the current proliferation of spring bulbs Easter is unlikely to witness the usual or traditional spring blossom. We live in unnatural times!

PETER TAMBLING

Weymouth