I'm parched. I don't mean I need a beer. Actually I do need a beer but that's not what I mean. We're in a drought. I haven't seen any official figures but this is the driest I've known the garden in the eight years I've been living here. I'm thinking this must be the longest, hottest spell we've had for decades?
 Beyond going round with a watering can (pots mainly) the garden is left to its own devices, so it's looking decidedly scrubby, scrappy and mottled. All the plants should tough it out though and recover in the year ahead. These species exist in the wild and see all kinds of weather be it drought, downpour, sub-zero or blazing hot.