Hot Weather

For the last week I have been languishing indoors, where it remains coolish, emerging only in the evening when the sun has gone down to water the garden. This is only June, what will it be like in July and August?

There are many plants in pots, including tomatoes, aubergines,  a grape vine, and several dahlias. These all need watering every day. 

Single dahlia

Then there is the tree fern for which you need to mimic its native rainforest habitat.  During dry weather, it  needs its trunk and crown watering daily. Water directly into the crown and down the trunk. 

Tree fern got very dry with few leaves until I started watering it

The witch hazel nearly died this year through lack of water. I now water it every day and it is recovering. 

Witch hazel given to me by a friend, nearly died of drought

There are all the new plants which will need watering until established such as the new tiny foxgloves which won't flower until next year. And, of course, there is the pond which is not enormous and is drying out fast so that needs watering too. 

Two out of ten young foxglove I am growing for next year

One advantage of the hot weather is that I sit in the garden at night when it is dark and I see there are bats flying about. I used to see these thirty years ago when I moved in here, but have I not been out? Or have they not been there? Or have they been there all along and I wasn't aware of them ? There are 18 species of bat in the UK; they are legally protected here. Many species like mature trees  to live in. If you want to find out more about bats you can consult the Bat Conservation Trust which is a mine of information. 

Pipistrelle bat 1

Pipistrelle bat 2