PHEW!!

 It is Tuesday and 11 am. Outside it is 32C and airless. Flies buzz around my head, Oh! So Soft is sprayed on my legs to deter the horse flies. Should we be wild water swimming in the pond mud with the newts - though if they have any sense they are buried deep in cool vegetation.

Flowers are going over quickly in the heat despite watering the pots etc - thank goodness for a borehole.

Last blog I mentioned deer - well now the rabbits are eating the convolvulus cneorum! 😞 and are everywhere - the little breeders.

By 4pm it is 26C and falling, a brisk breeze is bring in cooler weather from the west.

In fact the "heat wave" lasted a whole two days!

Down in the bottom garden the wild meadow is mainly grass and yellow rattle and long. The meadow sweet by the pond is flowering and the yellow loosestrife falling over the grass at the back.

The crocosmia Lucifer is out in the rough banking as is the prickly Bear's Breeches (acanthus) and we also have other crocosmias.

The Lambs' Lugs (stachys) is also out. Whereas one can stroke its velevet leaves - definitely not with the acanthus.

Other plants near the pond are the astilbe (R dislikes) and the wild marsh woundwort.

We seem to be an a red/pink mood now so here are some more of similar colour.

Pink

Alstromeria

Sweet pea

Opium poppy

And, of course, rose.

I have been and bought a hedge trimmer - I already had a suitable battery so the expense not too bad.

So we have all had enough of politics. Whoever the prime minister is it will not affect our turnips which are doing well. As you saw above we actually have some sweet peas flowering this year even though the soft fruit has been very poor. However there are a few damsons, greengages, pears and apples on the way.

Now quiz time - What is this ornamental plant in full flower though yellow and purple is a rather strange partnership?

Enough, must go and play with my hedge trimmer.