Suffolk's National Trust properties have found 2022 a very challenging year due to the high temperatures, long drought followed by heavy rainfall and ending with a cold spell.
But while much of the countryside in the trust's care has struggled over the last 12 months there have been some winners - especially wildlife on some of the coastal reserves.
The Sutton Hoo estate's grassland was left totally brown - and that was the colour of parkland across the region.
One of the biggest losers was Dunwich Heath where the lack of rain meant the heather did not flower - and the area was left looking grey and desolate. But even here the September rain gave hope for the future.
The heather at Dunwich Heath failed to flower in 2022 leaving it a brown-grey colour. (Image: National Trust)
Matt Wilson, countryside manager, Suffolk & Essex Coast, said: “Despite an estimated 80% of the heather not flowering at Dunwich Heath this year, we are starting to see signs of recovery with the recent cooler and damp weather, allowing both young and established plants to shoot and even flower.
Normally the heather at Dunwich Heath is a vibrant purple colour like this in 2019. (Image: National Trust)
"We won’t know the full impact of the summer drought, combined with Heather Beetle damage, until the next flowering season."
The National Trust has taken this picture to show how the heather is regenerating after the dry summer as the roots are soaked by the autumn rain.
This shows how life is returning to parched heather after the autumn rain. (Image: National Trust)
“The greatest concern throughout the whole drought period was the very real risk of wildfires. We are very grateful to our visitors for the care and responsibility they showed that helped us avoid these devastating events witnessed elsewhere in the country."
There is better news from Orford Ness, just down the coast, where new work has improved life for the seabird colonies which raise their young there.
Mr Wilson said:“At Orford Ness National Nature Reserve, the refurbishment and building of new sluices and water depth management structures have enabled us to better control water levels across much of the site.
"These improvements enable us to better sustain the wetlands and marshes for waders and wildfowl with more consistency throughout the year.
"It allows us to keep levels high through periods of dry weather or deal effectively with winter storm tidal surges – it is hoped that our numbers of protected and ‘at risk’ bird species nesting and then successfully fledging their chicks will continue to improve.”
Lapwings are among the bird species to have benefitted from work at Orford Ness. (Image: Sam Cooper/National Trust)
Elsewhere in the country, the National Trust did suffer from serious countryside fires - including along the North Norfolk coast.
Keith Jones, the National Trust’s Climate Change Adviser. Picture: NATIONAL TRUST (Image: National Trust)
Keith Jones, climate change adviser at the National Trust, said: “There is no escaping that this year’s weather has been challenging for nature.
"Drought, high temperatures, back-to-back storms, unseasonal heat, the recent cold snap, and floods means nature, like us, is having to cope with a new litany of weather extremes.
“It is a stark illustration of the sort of difficulties many of our species will face if we don’t do more to mitigate rising temperatures and helping nature’s survival.
“Weather experts predict that the future will see more torrential downpours, along with very dry and hot summers, with 2022 setting a benchmark for what a ‘typical’ year for weather could be like. But the ‘new normal’ is also likely to result in even more extreme weather events than now.
“We’re going to experience more floods, droughts, heatwaves, extreme storms and wildfires – and they will go from bad to worse, breaking records with ever alarming frequency if we don’t limit our carbon emissions.”
Ben McCarthy, head of nature conservation and restoration ecology at the National Trust. Picture: NATIONAL TRUST (Image: National Trust)
Ben McCarthy, head of nature conservation and restoration ecology at the National Trust, said: “This year nature has sounded the alarm as it has struggled to cope with the challenging weather conditions which have confused wildlife and impacted habitats.
“On top of this our seabird and wintering birds have also had to deal with the impact of disease. Avian influenza, has had a particularly devastating impact on our precious seabird colonies."
Across the country, this year's weather did lead to a bumper crop of apples, seeds, and nuts - but it also damaged the trees that grow them so the long-term effect on the countryside could be negative.
Species that rely on water, like Natterjack toads and some species of dragonfly could suffer as some of the ponds they rely on dried up in the searing heat.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here