sweet chestnut despite the mild winter

Sweet chestnut germinates after it has been affected by the frost. For several years I have been leaving sweet chestnuts in a pot outside, but with no effect.

This winter, the mildest for years, with hardly any decent frosts, and I am successful!

I am hoping to grow them in a large pot each, like large bonsai. Trying to find out when I can expect them to be producing sweet chestnuts!

Almond trees

What I think are ornamental almonds are in full, glorious bloom at the moment. There has also been quite a bit of planting young trees round about, including a lot on the north of the football pitches on Hackney Marshes. Some look like ornamental almond.

Pity they couldn't be real almond trees.

Would grey squirrels be a problem then? If so, in some places there is room for sweet chestnut instead.