Ron battles to keep his garden blooming

Britain's cold winter and dry spring have caused a headache for gardeners.

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The warm weather has brought the fruit on his trees out too early, and the bitterly cold winter finished off some of his prized plants.

However, Ron Kerr is determined to open his Halesowen garden to the public again this year.

The beautiful oasis at the back of his home, Inglenook in Waxland Road, will be open as part of the National Gardens Scheme next month.

However, the harsh winter has killed off some of his trees and plants, including a cryptomeria, which had survived outside in the UK for 60 years.

Also, fruit such as gooseberries, plums and greengages have come out early, giving his garden a more summery look and leaving Ron with plenty of jars of jams and chutneys to make.

"Winter was particularly cold. Usually we get temperatures of minus four or five, but it was minus 10 or more," said Ron, 69, who runs B&C Pet Supplies and Garden Centre with his wife Anne.

"Our pond froze over and before the winter I had 21 fish – but now I have 12."

Ron said he was sad when he saw that the cold weather was killing off his plants.

"Our cryptomeria has withstood a lot of winters. When we bought it nine years ago it was almost 60 years old," he said.

"Before we entered into spring I assessed the damage and it was the semi-tropical part of the garden which was most affected, with some well-established palm trees being killed off."

However, hundreds of other plants and trees in Ron's garden are blooming and he is looking forward to showing off his hard work to the public when he opens his doors on June 5 and July 10.

"Farmers say this could be the first year that visitors to Wimbledon won't have British strawberries," said Ron.

"It is incredible to see the fruit out so early and I'm still making jams and chutneys with last year's crop, which I have had bagged up in our freezer."

Plums are the fruit to have suffered from the freak spring weather, which farmers say could trigger a domestic shortage this summer.

It was the warmest April across the UK since nationwide records began 100 years ago and the hottest in central England for more than 350 years.

But on May 3, temperatures across parts of the country dropped below freezing, hitting plum growers in East Anglia, Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

However, while plums have been badly hit by the unusual climate, other fruits such as strawberries, apples, pears and raspberries are doing well.

This year Ron and Anne's open garden days are raising money for Mary Stevens Hospice in memory of their friend to John Hutton, a local historian.

"John died recently at Mary Stevens Hospice and when I spoke to his widow about what we wanted to do she said he would have been pleased," said Ron.

"We will donate any money from plant sales and refreshments to the hospice while the entrance fee of £3 to the garden goes directly to National Gardens Scheme charities."

The garden has an award-winning waterfall feature and ponds set in a woodland area where visitors can enjoy a walk, which leads back to a lawn and patio.

There is an allotment section to the garden with asparagus beds, greenhouses and vegetable plants – and the latest additions to it are six chickens.

"I was brought up in the Scottish countryside and fancied getting back to my roots by having some chickens," Ron said.

"Most days we get six eggs from them and these are also sold in aid of the hospice.

"Looking after them is fairly easy and hopefully they will be a big attraction for people who come to look around the garden."