summer

Although primarily a spring garden, there is always something in flower creating a kaleidoscope of colours amongst the green that predominates. 2003 has been characterised by two spells of quite severe drought. Long established plants showed signs of considerable stress.

2004 seems to continue this trend of lack of water - the spring lines on the side stopped flowing very early on at the end of May showing that ground water levels are really very low. We have not had the floods that other parts of the country have had, in fact in most parts of the garden the soil especially on the side has been very dry.

2005 - again another repeat, drought throughout the summer but saved with some rain every fortnight or three weeks. The spring lines this year stopped running at the beginning of April. Perhaps these weather patterns are the norm and what should be expected. The main difference is that the garden has been heavily watered - every night for two hours with a controller on one of the external taps. Leaky hoses have been deployed though the lower section of the garden. This has allowed planting of new plants throughout the summer months.

2006 - here we go again!!! - July, high temperatures with some of the highest on record, drought and when it rains, it's like a monzoon. Yet there are people out there that just can't quite believe the climate is changing - global warming - if you don't believe this is not man made, you must be mad. This will not change back to an oceanic atlantic climate without us reducing Carbon dioxide levels. Very few plants have been put out this year to reduce the amount of watering that was carried out last year.