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| 'Rising temperatures are changing how I work' | 'Rising temperatures are changing how I work' |
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| Topiary is the art of clipping shrubs or trees into ornamental shapes | Topiary is the art of clipping shrubs or trees into ornamental shapes |
| A topiary artist with 15 years' experience has said climate change and unpredictable seasons have forced him to change the way he works. | A topiary artist with 15 years' experience has said climate change and unpredictable seasons have forced him to change the way he works. |
| Andy Bourke, whose business is based in Rutland, told the BBC the arrival of warmer weather earlier in the year had confused plants into thinking summer had started. | Andy Bourke, whose business is based in Rutland, told the BBC the arrival of warmer weather earlier in the year had confused plants into thinking summer had started. |
| The Met Office said summer 2025 was the hottest on record and followed the warmest and sunniest spring since data began. | The Met Office said summer 2025 was the hottest on record and followed the warmest and sunniest spring since data began. |
| "Climate change is definitely affecting what we do and nature doesn't know what time of the month it is," said Mr Bourke. | "Climate change is definitely affecting what we do and nature doesn't know what time of the month it is," said Mr Bourke. |
| "Too much water is just as bad as not getting enough." | "Too much water is just as bad as not getting enough." |
| The 38-year-old would normally plan his work for the year ahead meticulously, but the prolonged hot weather - which led to a drought being declared in the East Midlands - and heavy rainfall means he now has to take things day by day. | The 38-year-old would normally plan his work for the year ahead meticulously, but the prolonged hot weather - which led to a drought being declared in the East Midlands - and heavy rainfall means he now has to take things day by day. |
| "We don't tend to work now by the month of the year, it's just by the temperature," he explained. | "We don't tend to work now by the month of the year, it's just by the temperature," he explained. |
| "We can have these late frosts like we had at the start of last year or we can have these really long dry spells and very wet winters." | "We can have these late frosts like we had at the start of last year or we can have these really long dry spells and very wet winters." |
| Andy Bourke worked as a chef before changing careers | Andy Bourke worked as a chef before changing careers |
| Trimming trees for a regular client at Cressey Hall in Lincolnshire, which were planted and trained by the previous owner, Mr Bourke said the weather was "not as reliable as it used to be". | Trimming trees for a regular client at Cressey Hall in Lincolnshire, which were planted and trained by the previous owner, Mr Bourke said the weather was "not as reliable as it used to be". |
| "Everyone used to say that you would cut your box plants on Derby Day [which takes place at the beginning of June] but now we can cut earlier or even later depending on what that weather is doing," he added. | "Everyone used to say that you would cut your box plants on Derby Day [which takes place at the beginning of June] but now we can cut earlier or even later depending on what that weather is doing," he added. |
| BBC weather presenter Anna Church described 2025 as "a year to remember". | BBC weather presenter Anna Church described 2025 as "a year to remember". |
| She said: "It started fairly average but through the spring and summer very little rainfall led to drought conditions being declared in the East Midlands and the summer was the warmest on record. | She said: "It started fairly average but through the spring and summer very little rainfall led to drought conditions being declared in the East Midlands and the summer was the warmest on record. |
| "But it almost felt like it changed overnight as we moved into September with the arrival of some very heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. | "But it almost felt like it changed overnight as we moved into September with the arrival of some very heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. |
| "We now know that extreme weather events, like prolonged heat, extensive dry spells and intense rainfall are becoming more common due to effects of climate change." | "We now know that extreme weather events, like prolonged heat, extensive dry spells and intense rainfall are becoming more common due to effects of climate change." |
| Mr Bourke maintains trees at Cressey Hall in Lincolnshire | Mr Bourke maintains trees at Cressey Hall in Lincolnshire |
| Mr Bourke worked as a chef before transferring his creative skills and eye for detail into the horticultural world - a career change inspired by memories of seeing designs of topiary at a Disney resort as a child. | Mr Bourke worked as a chef before transferring his creative skills and eye for detail into the horticultural world - a career change inspired by memories of seeing designs of topiary at a Disney resort as a child. |
| "Over there they have a lot of topiary made up of different plants and flowers of the characters and I just remember that capturing my imagination," he said. | "Over there they have a lot of topiary made up of different plants and flowers of the characters and I just remember that capturing my imagination," he said. |
| Mr Bourke now uses social media to showcase his work and has built up more than 150,000 followers on Instagram. | Mr Bourke now uses social media to showcase his work and has built up more than 150,000 followers on Instagram. |
| "I get a lot of people ask questions to do with pests and disease... and I'm more than happy to help where I can because it's not always straightforward," he said. | |
| "If you're on your own a lot, it can get a bit lonely and a lot of people turn to social media or group chats where they can connect with like-minded people." | "If you're on your own a lot, it can get a bit lonely and a lot of people turn to social media or group chats where they can connect with like-minded people." |
| Mr Bourke was inspired by topiary he saw at a Disney resort as a child | Mr Bourke was inspired by topiary he saw at a Disney resort as a child |
| Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. | Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. |
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