Alys Fowler: how to cope with changeable weather

Growing a wide diversity of fruit and vegetables is the best way to mitigate changeable weather, particularly by growing perennials

It has been warm and wet, then windy and wet, then cold and wet, then the water froze, then it thawed, then it was warm and wet" and on winter's wild furies raged. For some that meant biblical issues; flooding and all its detritus spewed over flowerbeds, wrecking gardens and much more. For others it was more prosaic; just a garden that wasn't sure which season it was in.

Initially, there is little to be done with a flooded garden. Sadly, the rule is that you shouldn't eat vegetables that have been covered by flood water, even if you cook them.