Down in the secret garden, we are celebrating. After a summer of intense heat, the rains have returned and everything has perked up. The heatwave has been broken by four days of downpours, constant drizzle and rolling mists off the sea. It is now cool enough to sit out and enjoy the sun again.
The rain is not enough to counter the effects of the drought and consequent early autumn die-back, but it is very welcome. My lovely blue hydrangeas, the white oleanders and the olive tree have all lost their leaves, and the farms up along the cliffside have already baled the winter feeds. The recovery is going to be long but some of the more resilient plants have survived, like these show stopper white agapanthuses:
The rosemary falls, after a drastic haircut, and the wisteria and verbena have toughed it out:
And these delicate poppies and the stone river border plants have found enough moisture to survive:
It will be the autumnal equinox in a couple of weeks, but before the summer ends there is beachcombing.
Old Lady by the Sea 