THE WEATHER -

A warm start to the month, following on from the high temperatures in July. By the 9th, the temperature had risen to 33°C (93°F) with high humidity making it very unpleasant - we're not used to this in the UK! Thunderstorms on the 10th for almost the entire day cooled things down a bit and gave some welcome rain, but this day also saw the highest temperatures on record in the UK, 101°F (approx 37°C), at Gravesend (phew - glad I wasn't there!). Intermittent thunderstorms on the 11th. By the third week the temperature had dropped to a more acceptable level, with lovely warm sunny days. The last week turned dull and quite cool, with not much sun - so cool I had to turn the central heating back on! No rain though for three weeks and the garden was very dry - I seemed to be spending most of my time watering, even big trees were drooping in the drought. However, rain at long last on the 28th, although not nearly enough........... Maximum temperature 33°C (93°F). Minimum temperature 6°C (44°F).

If you're looking for a plant with visual impact in both flowers and foliage, you can't get better than Cannas. These half-hardy tuberous plants come in a variety of leaf and flower colours, from different shades of green, through maroon and even variegated. My all-time favourite though, is Canna "Durban" (sometimes known as "Tropicanna" and widely believed to be the same plant). This has stunning dark red leaves with red and orange stripes, and fabulous large burnt-orange flowers. I grow mine in a pot on the south facing patio, where the weather this summer has really given it the conditions it likes, and it has grown incredibly well!

A wonderful plant for the back of the border is Cynara cardunculus, the Cardoon. This grows to around 5 or 6 feet tall, with silvery toothed leaves, and is related to the Globe Artichoke, Cynara scolymus. The thing I love most about this plant though is its striking purple flowers, like a giant thistle! These are almost an electric purple, and are incredibly attractive to insects, which is a definite plus! When the flowers have died off, the seedheads can be dried and make very attractive additions to flower arrangements.

Dahlias are making a comeback, I hear! I don't grow them for show, just for pleasure. There can be few flowers with such a variety of colours, shapes and sizes, and with such gorgeous flowers. They flower for months on end, if you dead-head them regularly, and will continue until the first frosts cut them down. Not hardy, unfortunately, they need to be lifted for the winter, dried off, and stored in a frost free but cold place until starting again in the spring. I favour the red and orange ones, although I love the purples as well. Three of my favourites are pictured above, and these are "Summer Night" on the left, a lovely deep velvety red, "David Howard" in the centre, vibrant orange, and "Soulman" on the right, another very deep red, but with a distinctive shaggy shape.

The wonderful thing about gardening is that there are always so many surprises. Way back in February, I ordered some plants by mail order, and because I had spent a certain amount, I was sent 5 free "Stargazer" Lily bulbs. I didn't really want them, as I've never done very well with Lilies in the past, and when they arrived, I was less than impressed with the size of the bulbs. Still, I decided to plant them anyway, thinking that if they came to anything at all, it wouldn't be much! However, how wrong I was. The little bulbs began to grow strong stems and foliage, culminating in this fabulous show of flowers, which lasted for weeks despite the heatwave. The scent from these Lilies wafts across the patio and is just heavenly! That will teach me to judge from appearances!!

If I had to name my favourite bulb flower, I think it would have to be Eucomis. There are several different varieties, all with waxy bell-shaped flowers, with a tuft of leaves at the top, hence the common name of Pineapple Lily. They are near-hardy, and will survive outdoors in winter in a sheltered sunny position, but I have found that they do better for me in pots. I have several different varieties, and three of them are pictured above. On the left is the most common one, Eucomis bicolour. This can be quite variable, sometimes with spotted leaves or stems, and sometimes with plain cream flowers, or cream with a pink edge, as above. In the centre is Eucomis "Swazi Pride", a robust grower with a small tuft of leaves on the top, but lovely pink flowers. On the right, the dainty Eucomis autumnalis, with short slender white flowers. The only drawback to Eucomis is the smell - although this varies with the variety. To me, Eucomis bicolour smells awful, like rotting potatoes - don't grow this in a confined space! However, Eucomis "Swazi Pride" smells like a cross between vanilla and coconut - much more pleasant! Propagation of these is easy. Mine self-seed all over the place, and they also sometimes produce bulblets around the top of the "pineapple". The bulbs themselves also spread after a few years.

Sollya heterophylla is one of those plants which has suddenly become fashionable, after being totally ignored for a long time. I first saw this plant in a book years ago, and fell in love with its beautiful blue pendent flowers. However, until recently, I've never seen any for sale, so I for one am glad it's suddenly in fashion because I have at last been able to buy one! It is a tender evergreen plant which climbs by means of twining stems, and bears lots of clusters of flowers all the way up these stems.

That's all for this month...... Happy Gardening!!

Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Crow, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Robin, Rook, Seagull, Starling, Swallow, Thrush, Wood Pigeon, Wren.

RAIN
Patience Strong

A sudden shower burst from the skies upon the dusty lane -
In gardens thirsty flowers looked up, and sipped the cold sweet rain.
Beneath a tree's green parasol, I found a sheltered place
Where wet leaves dropped capricious kisses on my upturned face.

The storm swept like an angered god across the distant hill -
Defenceless in its path, the mighty trees bent to its will.
A cottage door swung open and a woman rushed outside
To gather in her sturdy arms the washing she had dried.

A man went by - a man of earth - bronzed by the sun's deep stain -
He touched his cap and smiled, and said, "A lovely drop o' rain!
This be a god-send for us folks - this be just what we need -
It's good for man and good for beast and good for soil and seed."

And I, beneath the dripping tree, remembered that in towns -
Men greet the gift of God's good showers with fretful words and frowns.
But wise and patient earth-brown men don't grumble or complain -
They say a courteous "Thank you" for a "lovely drop o' rain."