garden nightmare

I return home after a pleasant, if hot, few days at Tatton and find desolation! Even the lavender is wilting and I had to spend several minutes pleading with one particular plant not to leave me but to keep on in there! Many of the roses are Champions and bearing up very well, but the ground is rock hard - in the last 10 years in Cumbria I have never seen my garden so dry - it is not just the lack of rain but of course the intense heat which we have had over the last few weeks which is probably making the difference.

In support of our southern gardening friends who cannot use a hosepipe I decide to refrain from using one also. Its bucket time once again and first aid is given to the most deserving cases. I consider ringing Lullingstone Castle and asking Tom if he will let Reg Cannon come over and give us a rain dance. Things are getting pretty desperate. I don't want to ruin holidays, I just pray for a good downpour overnight occasionally, but there is not a drop not even a squeak of a shower.

The slimeball invaders are still slithering around and have endeavoured to make several concerted attacks on hostas while I have been away - snails are gardening mercenaries - I really don't know what they are supposed to do in the great scheme of things but I do know I would rather they take their campaigns somewhere else.

It's time to go and get another bucket. Ah well.