Spring arrives late and will be cut short ...by summer

IF spring is your favourite season, then make sure you enjoy it this week – because, sadly, that’s how long it may last.

With the recent weather having been cooler than usual, spring this year is a blink-andyou’ll-miss-it affair, with winter quickly giving way to summer.

The low temperatures mean plants have been in bud longer than normal, and their flowering – helped by temperatures of up to 26C (79F) this week – will be short and intense.

The Royal Horticultural Society’s chief horticulturist Guy Barter warned: ‘I would urge people to get outside into their gardens or visit green spaces this weekend as spring could be over in the blink of an eye and you really don’t want to miss what’s coming ... Usually, spring begins in March and lasts until mid-May, so this shorter, condensed spring will create magnificent displays ...’

Britain is set for an early heatwave from tomorrow. By Wednesday the mercury will rise to around 24C (75F) in the South and 22C (72F) in the North of England, reaching a peak of up to 26C (79F) by Thursday.