National Trust gardener Jill Saunders is trying to keep her cool as rising temperatures cause chaos in the flower borders at East Riddlesden Hall.

She reckons the British weather is definitely getting warmer and wetter which is great news for bugs and pests - but not so good for plants.

Her findings are in keeping with a new study in climate impact unveiled by the National Trust and the Royal Horticultural Society.

The study predicts the rise could be between two to five degrees centigrade in summer and two to three degrees centigrade in winter in the next 50 years and that snow and frost will become a mere memory for most of England.

Jill has been gardener at the 17th century manor house in Keighley for the past seven years.

The National Trust property is well-known for its mature grounds planted with beech trees, lavender, flowers and a herb border.

Visitors come from all over to see the wild flowers, bulbs, perennials and apple trees that provide a changing carpet of colour throughout the year in the orchard garden.

Jill, pictured, is having to toughen up the garden against plagues of bugs, toads and frogs who love the new weather conditions.

"We've been infested with them. We try very hard to be organic here but it's tempting to reach for the spray," she said.

"We're not at the stage where we'll be planting palm trees and banana trees yet but I'm definitely having to have a rethink about what kind of plants we can grow that won't get eaten by pests or rot.

"I'm going to have to replace some things with tougher varieties that look similar but aren't as tasty - hostas, fuschias, Soloman's Seal might have to go - but we'll be keeping the traditional look with suitable alternatives.

"We're just not getting the cold snaps that we used to get - if anything the weather's definitely wetter but warmer.

"I've got all sorts of things appearing that by rights shouldn't be here until spring. I've got buds on trees, flowering wild cornflowers, green shoots coming up from lillies, lavender still in flower.

"The poor plants are so confused - the roses were still blooming well into late October, the fig tree has managed to produce ripe fruit which is unusual and the lawns have needed excessive mowing.

"The danger is that the plants are being stressed out, they don't understand what's happening climate-wise - they think it's spring now so as the months go on they'll use up energy and weaken."

In the meantime, Jill said she and fellow gardeners in this part of the country will just have to go with nature's flow - even if its timing is out.