Like most news organisations around the world the BBC asks its readers, listeners and viewers to send in their own pictures. Of course, people send in their snaps of local incidents and events – but about half the pictures the BBC receives… are of cats.

Recently, when they asked for pictures illustrating an especially stormy spell of British weather – what did they receive? Pictures of soggy and bedraggled cats.

OK… this is a gardening blog – so it’s about time for a picture of one of our cats. This is Nicki, not horticulturally helpful but undeniably charming, relaxing on a trough of ‘Sorbet’ violas. Fortunately, she didn’t discover the comfort of this location until the end of the season – shortly before the violas were removed!