Impressed about the grass snakes Roger. We can boast one slowworm under the shed in 2003; and despite creating a 'heath garden' in part of our garden, with a drystone wall backing it, not a single lizard in 16 years!
Some of the birds have a tough fight, don't they? I was sat in the garden with a coffee at half five this morning watching our newlywed blackbirds fighting like Spartans to keep a trio of magpies out. Tenacious.
We've had our tomatoes out, and partly shaded since late May. The warm nights here have given them a boost- flowers but no fruits yet. They are looking amazing- a metre high and deep green. I've found, in part shade, they reach up and compensate with slightly deeper roots for stability. This gives them a better reach for water if it turns dry later. All conjecture, of course, but it sounds sensible to me and it worked well in 2014 when July turned hot.
Great to see a video on Gardening!
Bertie, Itchen Valley.
'We'll never see 40 celsius in this country'.