If it isn't pipes bursting and outing whole towns, it's coming from the clouds in torrential amounts, water has definitely been on the brain of late. It really is surprising just how much we depend on it, not only for the essential drinks and food, but for washing ourselves, our clothing and our houses. We were lucky, I don't know how people in drought countries survive, our water came back after 1 1/2 days, and that was long enough! The rain poured yesterday, it seeped into the land, and the lawn that was previously brown and yellow came back with a vengeance, lush and green. It's done wonderful things for the garden, it's nice to see thrushes finding snails and thrashing them on a rock (although I do feel an incy wincy bit of guilt at this - I am soft). The reason for the water failure? A burst pipe in not one but 3 places, most likely because of the excessive dry weather of late!

Yesterday I braved the rain and gales to go out to our local town for some retail therapy. When I say retail therapy, I mean two balls of discount wool, we're not talking a second mortgage here. But being out in the rain was refreshing (in the literal sense as I forgot my brolly), and nice to see people in coats for the first time since last winter. For the dog's walk I had to don a pink mac and a scarf - in August! Not only was it blowing a gale (my tomatoes, my precious tomatoes!) but it was actually cool enough to warrant wrapping up. I envisioned walking on deep crimson leaves, a cloud of which swirling around me, not cornflowers and poppies trying to stay upright and failing! Is this really August weather?! Insane.

Today however it has perked up, and I'm in the mood for some garden photos (hurrah!) and a little garden-talk! I'm in a bit of a quandry over garden design - ours is a bit too rectangular, we remedied this slightly by adding some distinctly circular beds, but for me I still want to soften this beast. I bought the one plant that I've been coveting for so long now, having seen them everywhere in Dorset, Somerset and Cornwall over the years - a Philadephus (or mock orange) 'Snow Belle'. Ours came from a nursery near my mother on our return from the honeymoon. The smell of it is just amazing, and if you haven't got one, you really really should!



So here are some photos of our garden before it was blasted at high pressure and left looking a little sorry for itself!



There are few things as beautiful as a love-in-a-mist [nigella damascena] flower in full bloom.







I am in love with the larkspur at the moment, I bought a packet of seeds that cost no more than 50p, and which has supplied us with many spikes of the most wonderful colours. From candy-pink to petroleum purple, it's been amazingly beautiful to watch it all unfurl.



And last but not least, the wildlife that make this garden possible. Without them there would be no sustainability, no pollinated seeds and no birdsong whilst I toil. Although I do garden for me and for my husband, I garden for the garden, I am naught but a caretaker and want to sustain it and keep it going for the wildlife and the plants, and occasionally, for myself.