Month: June 2026

Postcard from a Seaside Garden in June

/ AnnieGraham / 2 Comments

The summer solstice has now passed and ‘Flaming June’ has been flaming. The recent heatwave has been intense and following May’s abnormal heat, the combined effect has been very damaging to many trees, shrubs and plants. They will have to be cleared out in the autumn, but for now, the cooling onshore breezes make life ambling on the beach at low tide bearable.

We have had great drama with a seagull family which has taken up residence on our roof. There are three chicks wittily named as Hubble Bubble and Trouble. The latter, being too bold for its own good, fell off the roof while showing off to its siblings. Much screeching and flapping from the parents ensued while Hubble and Bubble called plaintively for the missing’s return. It looked a goner. But we found it the next day sitting by the downpipe – smart move as he could have a drink. Trouble was carefully lifted back onto the roof by my kind neighbour to join the family, so all is well. It’s the real fledging drama next.

Despite the heat, the garden has much vibrant colour and Chelsea Blue has got to be this month’s look. Magnificent artichoke flower, and the blue hydrangeas and agapanthuses, which are common in these parts, are so good.

There are a few dazzlers, particularly the fiery orange cannas, the bright yellow mallows, and the combined hues of both in a nasturtium that popped out from under. And of course, the pinks still a feature in the other hydrangeas, rosa rugosa and carpet rose.

Work on the new book Project Angie continues around entering competitions for Louisa’s Lament.

This month I’ve been researching the difference between psychopathic, machiavellian and narcissistic traits as all three feature in my story of clinical fraudsters. The psychological research shows they overlap but normally one trait leads. This has been my experience in working life amongst those with professional backgrounds. Currently an estimated 1% of the UK population has psychopathic traits. Given 25% of these are in prison, that leaves a lot of dysfunctional people who are working in organisations.

The summer promises to be a long hot one especially as I recall those recidivists who I’m writing about.

Come back next month for more news of organisational delinquents and my seaside garden in all its summer glory.

Postcard from a Seaside Garden in May

/ Annie Graham / 1 Comment

The summer has started earlier than usual with an intense heatwave. Even with the refreshing onshore breezes, it’s been very hot, and certainly too hot to work. So, the hammock has been up for a few lazy days while the garden has gone crazy.

A variety of wild self-seeded poppies have sprung up everywhere. They don’t last long but they give exciting pops of colour ranging from orangey and bright reds to a more subdued dusty pink. You just take them as they come. Enchanting.

And the roses are magnificent – must be all that rain in the winter months followed by the strong sun in recent weeks. Some are more fragrant than others, particularly the prolific rosa ragusa, which loves the local climate, while others concentrate on being very handsome. Just look at the showy apricot shrub rose and the deep carmine climber reaching up to garden lodge where I write.

Marketing Louisa’s Lament continues. I was privileged to be asked by Guy’s & St Thomas’s Hospitals Trust to speak about the pioneering women in the story at a recent award ceremony for nurses and midwives. Judging by the comments and book orders, I think the talk seems to have stimulated some interest in the goings on at Guy’s in 1880. And my book got a mention in the recently published Guy’s Hospital: 300 Years, pages 518-520. We will put some pics on the website soon.

And the new book? It’s been a bit slow – too much hammock time. But I’ve made a start on another round of edits and finalised some research into how scientific fraud is conducted. Depressingly, it’s rather more common than you might have thought.

Waiting in the wings for June’s blog are the barby pink carpet roses and cannas so see you next month for a view of them as the festival of glorious colour and fragrance continues. And, all too soon, it’s the summer solstice in just three weeks.

And finally…

I have a favour to ask. I’ve been finding my way onto a few new corners of the internet so I can share more about Louisa’s Lament and my upcoming book, and I’d love it if you’d come and find me there.

I’ll also be sharing stories about women in history who’ve been subdued by circumstances, and those who’ve risen despite adversity and, of course, there’ll be more tidbits on my garden and scribblings. Here are the links to my new socials…

I’d love to see you there