The lazy dog days of summer are here and there has been a heatwave. On intensely hot days, it is such a relief to feel the cool onshore breezes down in the secret garden.

The heat has been exhausting and the resultant drought has left everything so parched. But here, because of the winter’s rain, we have a store of ground water that keeps everything going until the storm season arrives. This month the statuesque agapanthuses have opened and they are glorious. After much coaxing, the gladioli have bloomed at last but they are easily blown over in the wind.

The spotlight though is on the sea lavender. It grows in all the in between spaces filling the voids with its haze of fine lilac flowers. They are a magnet for bees and butterflies.

And then there are the crimson geraniums that form an honour guard as you go down the steps to the house. What a welcome.

The heat has made progress on the wall repairs slow but there has been much hard work in draining the brackish pond. Our big fat red/brown toad and the green newts now have a refreshed home and the birds love their restored solar pump shower.

It’s a walk along the beach this afternoon and maybe a lemon curd ice cream for tea, and then a look for the dog star in tonight’s sky.

Come back next time for news of my book. The manuscript is complete, the ink drawings have been ordered and work is underway on the cover design. If the production guys can schedule it, a special edition will be ready for the autumn.