Milder winters as a result of unpredictable weather result in the need to ignore traditional gardening advice in some cases.

Such is the opinion of horticultural magazine Gardening Which?, which noted that a particularly mild festive period can result in plants continuing to grow during a period of time traditionally associated with dormancy.

Ceri Thomas, editor of the publication, commented: "You might find yourself cutting your lawn in the middle of December, because we might just happen to have a mild December things carry on growing and it's best to cut it than to let it turn into a meadow."

However, Ms Thomas noted that it may still be advisable for consumers to bring tender plants such as fuchsias inside as they would not survive the cold weather.

Founded in 1957, Which? is the largest consumer body in the UK and publishes unbiased information to help members of the public make informed decisions.