Butterflies in church, bats along the river | Letters

The mild weather is definitely having its effect (Ice rinks melt as Christmas goes crackers, 24 December). We have plants flowering in the gardens that really shouldn't be at this time of year, such as Phacelia, and we even have a few roses still in bloom. We shouldn't see any seedlings growing outside, but currently we've got wildflower seedlings growing among our tulip bulbs, which is virtually unheard of for December. Our Euphorbia seems to think it's March already, with yellow heads showing, and we keep cutting back plants only to find they just keep growing back. Another real consequence of the warmer weather is that the bugs and pests won't be killed off, which may mean we will have many more to deal with than usual in the spring time. The warm December has also meant lots of rain, so waterlogging may be a problem for some gardens out there. We combat this with lots of compost; my advice to other gardeners would be to do the same and ensure heavy objects are moved away from lawns so that soil isn't compacted. If the mild weather continues and we have early fruit tree blossoms followed by a hard frost, the fruit harvest could be seriously damaged.
Martin Duncan
Head gardener, Arundel Castle

" At the carol service this week in the beautiful Beverley church of St Mary's, butterflies fluttered between the candles and lights. Some interpreted this in a spiritual way, but was it yet another sign of global warming?
Mary Kelleher
Hull