We're Trying

 ....... but it's very difficult with the weather staying so hot and no rain. Whilst we abandoned watering most plants in early September we feel obliged to water trees and certain perenniels to keep them alive for future years. This takes a good portion of the morning leaving just over an hour to attack the rest of the garden before it gets too hot to work in the full sun (still regularly 30C). However it is not all bad news, we are still enjoying a beer in the alley at lunch time and sometimes a glass of wine on the top terrace before dinner. We were even sitting out in the dark at 8pm the other night waiting for the barn owl to fly out of the pigeonnier. We had heard owlets calling for food the night before. However we are fearful that they will not prosper, despite the weather, as it is so late in the season. 

Whilst conscious of the prevailing limitations we are aware that it will change, probably very suddenly, when we wake up to an unforecast frost (the morning temperatures have dropped to around 6C). So I am splitting irises, potting pelargoniums, taking cuttings and moving some plants despite the lack of rain. We have already redesigned the Iris Walk and the plants arrived a couple of weeks ago but the conditions are not conducive to planting them out.

It is the time to scalp the prairie and John has been manfully battling on with the task. As usual I have planned some slight changes and we intend to plant tulip bulbs rescued from last year in the grass. But that will have to wait.