Drought

Hot dry garden from my bedroom window

On Wednesday when our hosepipe ban started the rain came tumbling down all night. This might sound ironic, but I was so pleased to see and smell it that I stood outside and got soaked. Wonderful. I am finding it more and more difficult to carry watering cans and half watering cans and jugs of water round the whole garden to the plants that need it, so welcome the rain!

                                            

There have been some odd results of the drought (which isn't necessarily over yet). My Magnolia stellata suddenly turned brown and dropped its leaves. I began to give it a can of water every two or three days and it suddenly started desperately flowering - seven months too early.  I see some new furry buds appearing so I think it'll be all right, but it's all a bit anxious-making.                                                                    

                                                 Magnolia stellata flowering in August

All the autumn-flowering Cyclamen hederifolium are flowering very early among the dried up ferns and leaf litter though I suppose August is not unheard of. 

Cyclamen hederifolium flowering in August

And the poor golden privet next to the kitchen door is turning a rich but very dead brown. The three other golden privets have not been affected. 

Browning golden privet

By chance, while all this was going on I was sitting on the sofa next to the garden door reading a  book called The Four Winds, by Kristin Hannah, about the Dust Bowl in Texas in the 1930s. I found myself becoming confused as to which world I was actually living in  and wondering where my next meal was going to come from. 

                    

                                                                  Vive la pluie!