Harvest is in full swing here. Earliest ever Sunflower crop reported. The village has huge farm machinery and loaded trucks trundling through.

Getting back to watering and the drought - I cannot for the life of me understand the logic of using potable [treated] water for irrigating the garden while rainwater goes down the drains! It's effing bonkers. Flushing toilets with it is bad enough. This stuff is precious. I hope and expect most TWO posters will be doing their own version of "water harvesting".

At our last place, a cottage dating from the time of the Enclosures, all our house gutters fed into an underground cistern with an access hatch. This was sited next to the old washhouse with copper and bread oven, handy for wash days. We added downpipe-fed water butts.

The electricity pole you see was the supply put in in the 70s.

Sensible stuff.

R.

 

I remember seeing these cisterns in Turkey that they used to harvest rainwater. It's something I think all UK new builds should have but most won't unless it's a self build with a visionary owner. 

As if I wasn't already depressed enough about what is going on in the world at the moment my neighbour knocked this morning to complain about the Silver Birch leaves falling from my tree falling into his garden. Luckily I was upstairs as I heard him saying that they were landing on their outside dining table while they were eating (under their bloody great permanent Gazebo) and getting into their grandchildren's paddling pool. I didn't feel much better when I heard my wife apologising and adding it was due to the dry weather. (She can't stand conflict). I heard him muttering about we should cut branches off as it had grown too tall (none of the branches overhang his garden ).

I would have said yes, this global warming giving the hottest and possibly the driest spell ever is a bit of a nuisance isn't it. What am I supposed to do - solve bloody AGW, make it rain, stop trees growing?

Plus he has actually exacerbated the problem by paving most of his 80 foot garden and putting a massive Summer House (come pub) at the end. 

As if I wasn't already depressed enough about what is going on in the world at the moment my neighbour knocked this morning to complain about the Silver Birch leaves falling from my tree falling into his garden. Luckily I was upstairs as I heard him saying that they were landing on their outside dining table while they were eating (under their bloody great permanent Gazebo) and getting into their grandchildren's paddling pool. I didn't feel much better when I heard my wife apologising and adding it was due to the dry weather. (She can't stand conflict). I heard him muttering about we should cut branches off as it had grown too tall (none of the branches overhang his garden ).

I would have said yes, this global warming giving the hottest and possibly the driest spell ever is a bit of a nuisance isn't it. What am I supposed to do - solve bloody AGW, make it rain, stop trees growing?

Plus he has actually exacerbated the problem by paving most of his 80 foot garden and putting a massive Summer House (come pub) at the end. 

That is depressing , how unreasonable.

People see the show gardens in magazines and on the internet showing contemporary gardens with no nature and think that is normal.  But an 80ft concrete garden is going to be horrendous in 40c compared to a garden with a nice big tree with some deep shade. 

We fortunately have tree preservation orders on all the trees in the back gardens on our street. A wood in places of Beech , Birch, Sycamore and Scotch Pines. As such trees overhang and no one is bothered about leaves blowing over.  It would be foolish to install white washed garden walls or expect slate grey designer paving or a perfect lawn. Moss , lichens , leaves and mud are features of the garden.  An English country or wooden garden type effect is much cheaper and less obsessive to maintain. 

That is depressing , how unreasonable.

People see the show gardens in magazines and on the internet showing contemporary gardens with no nature and think that is normal.  But an 80ft concrete garden is going to be horrendous in 40c compared to a garden with a nice big tree with some deep shade. 

It's very common - those sorts of people see the garden as just another room and treat it accordingly. I've one as a neighbour: they've moaned that their kid might slip on the blackberries, or tread rosehips into the house (not that they knew what either were - durr). They've also moaned about the 20ft conifer that overhangs their fence, wanting it chopped back and worrying it might damage their foundations. I then pointed out that they chose to move to a house with the tree there - it was planted in 1986 and predates their house by 30 years (it was just a small light bungalow then, much further away from the border with my house). They've also put a long raised flower container directly under the confier. Unsurprisingly, whatever they plant there soon dies off. You don't plant things under conifers!

As it happens, I'm having tree work done on my newly-acquired bit of garden and the tree surgeon told them that cutting back the branches as far as they want would look ridiculous (it would) - and also that conifers have shallow roots (which is true). The missing chunk in their foundation is far more of an issue.

Their garden is a third concrete patio (with a big chunky sofa etc on it) and the rest was grass with a massive trampoline, but now it's dried mud with a massive trampoline. It's a real pity - back when it was a little bungalow on a large plot it had lovely ornamental gardens, with trees, a pond and all sorts.

We fortunately have tree preservation orders on all the trees in the back gardens on our street. A wood in places of Beech , Birch, Sycamore and Scotch Pines. As such trees overhang and no one is bothered about leaves blowing over.  It would be foolish to install white washed garden walls or expect slate grey designer paving or a perfect lawn. Moss , lichens , leaves and mud are features of the garden.  An English country or wooden garden type effect is much cheaper and less obsessive to maintain. 

It's noticable in the wooded area of my garden just how much cooler it feels, instantly several degrees colder. The ground isn't dusty, either, the thick canopy really helps to stop evaporation.

I admit that if I hadn't managed to buy my neighbour's plot (on the other side) I would have been sorely tempted to apply for some TPOs! There's a magnificent Scots Pine in there, for example, which is home to bats.

Incidentally I now have the only pond in the area - somewhat overgrown, but a haven for wildlife. The reward for having that was watching a spectacular flying display by four dragonflies on Friday... they need water to breed and I've had them for several years in a row.

Such a contrast to the "extra room" type of gardens.

 

It's very common - those sorts of people see the garden as just another room and treat it accordingly. I've one as a neighbour: they've moaned that their kid might slip on the blackberries, or tread rosehips into the house (not that they knew what either were - durr). They've also moaned about the 20ft conifer that overhangs their fence, wanting it chopped back and worrying it might damage their foundations. I then pointed out that they chose to move to a house with the tree there - it was planted in 1986 and predates their house by 30 years (it was just a small light bungalow then, much further away from the border with my house). They've also put a long raised flower container directly under the confier. Unsurprisingly, whatever they plant there soon dies off. You don't plant things under conifers!

As it happens, I'm having tree work done on my newly-acquired bit of garden and the tree surgeon told them that cutting back the branches as far as they want would look ridiculous (it would) - and also that conifers have shallow roots (which is true). The missing chunk in their foundation is far more of an issue.

Their garden is a third concrete patio (with a big chunky sofa etc on it) and the rest was grass with a massive trampoline, but now it's dried mud with a massive trampoline. It's a real pity - back when it was a little bungalow on a large plot it had lovely ornamental gardens, with trees, a pond and all sorts.

 

It's noticable in the wooded area of my garden just how much cooler it feels, instantly several degrees colder. The ground isn't dusty, either, the thick canopy really helps to stop evaporation.

I admit that if I hadn't managed to buy my neighbour's plot (on the other side) I would have been sorely tempted to apply for some TPOs! There's a magnificent Scots Pine in there, for example, which is home to bats.

Incidentally I now have the only pond in the area - somewhat overgrown, but a haven for wildlife. The reward for having that was watching a spectacular flying display by four dragonflies on Friday... they need water to breed and I've had them for several years in a row.

Such a contrast to the "extra room" type of gardens.

As I watch Namibia Desert Lodge live cam I really like their waterhole design that could be done in here by desert landscaping the garden and then install the waterhole with round island in the middle and a hosepipe to drip water and will over flow to the garden, every morning you see lot of standing water around the waterhole and I would weekly empty and clean the waterhole like the Lodge staff clean them weekly.  Live cam would be install and put on YouTube.  I would see foxes, birds, hedgehogs and bats drinking water just missing is Oryx, Gru, Zebra and giraffe. 

As if I wasn't already depressed enough about what is going on in the world at the moment my neighbour knocked this morning to complain about the Silver Birch leaves falling from my tree falling into his garden. Luckily I was upstairs as I heard him saying that they were landing on their outside dining table while they were eating (under their bloody great permanent Gazebo) and getting into their grandchildren's paddling pool. I didn't feel much better when I heard my wife apologising and adding it was due to the dry weather. (She can't stand conflict). I heard him muttering about we should cut branches off as it had grown too tall (none of the branches overhang his garden ).

I would have said yes, this global warming giving the hottest and possibly the driest spell ever is a bit of a nuisance isn't it. What am I supposed to do - solve bloody AGW, make it rain, stop trees growing?

Plus he has actually exacerbated the problem by paving most of his 80 foot garden and putting a massive Summer House (come pub) at the end. 

Is this the racist guy?

Sounds like an imbecile, he should be aware there is nothing you can do to stop leaves falling. What does he think happens in Autumn! 

I have been very fortunate that so far, my neighbours left and right and to the back have all been good people for the past 46 years. When we used to have bonfires back in the 80s, we only got one complaint about falling ash, but that was it

As if I wasn't already depressed enough about what is going on in the world at the moment my neighbour knocked this morning to complain about the Silver Birch leaves falling from my tree falling into his garden. Luckily I was upstairs as I heard him saying that they were landing on their outside dining table while they were eating (under their bloody great permanent Gazebo) and getting into their grandchildren's paddling pool. I didn't feel much better when I heard my wife apologising and adding it was due to the dry weather. (She can't stand conflict). I heard him muttering about we should cut branches off as it had grown too tall (none of the branches overhang his garden ).

I would have said yes, this global warming giving the hottest and possibly the driest spell ever is a bit of a nuisance isn't it. What am I supposed to do - solve bloody AGW, make it rain, stop trees growing?

Plus he has actually exacerbated the problem by paving most of his 80 foot garden and putting a massive Summer House (come pub) at the end. 

An entertaining but sad read Fairweather. I suppose it illustrates perfectly the divorce from the natural world for some people.

As if I wasn't already depressed enough about what is going on in the world at the moment my neighbour knocked this morning to complain about the Silver Birch leaves falling from my tree falling into his garden. Luckily I was upstairs as I heard him saying that they were landing on their outside dining table while they were eating (under their bloody great permanent Gazebo) and getting into their grandchildren's paddling pool. I didn't feel much better when I heard my wife apologising and adding it was due to the dry weather. (She can't stand conflict). I heard him muttering about we should cut branches off as it had grown too tall (none of the branches overhang his garden ).

I would have said yes, this global warming giving the hottest and possibly the driest spell ever is a bit of a nuisance isn't it. What am I supposed to do - solve bloody AGW, make it rain, stop trees growing?

Plus he has actually exacerbated the problem by paving most of his 80 foot garden and putting a massive Summer House (come pub) at the end. 

Sounds like your neighbour is a dictionary definition of- A device to open a door with!

 

That is depressing , how unreasonable.

People see the show gardens in magazines and on the internet showing contemporary gardens with no nature and think that is normal.  But an 80ft concrete garden is going to be horrendous in 40c compared to a garden with a nice big tree with some deep shade. 

We fortunately have tree preservation orders on all the trees in the back gardens on our street. A wood in places of Beech , Birch, Sycamore and Scotch Pines. As such trees overhang and no one is bothered about leaves blowing over.  It would be foolish to install white washed garden walls or expect slate grey designer paving or a perfect lawn. Moss , lichens , leaves and mud are features of the garden.  An English country or wooden garden type effect is much cheaper and less obsessive to maintain. 

Very well said. 

Our walnut tree is huge and it is shedding leaves, unripe walnuts and sticks. Luckily, our neighbour seems impervious to it- asked permission to chop off an overhanging branch once.

One of our neighbours - brought up in Australia - has recently planted a eucalyptus in his tiny town garden, about 5m from various houses.. His immediate neighbour has ruffled feathers by asking, none too tactfully, I suspect, what he's going to do about tree management when it grows too big. If I get drawn in, I shall side with the idea that it's the wrong tree for the site. Our neighbours on the other side some years back planted a eucalyptus, probably the same species, and cut it down when it was 8 or 9m tall and showed no signs of slowing down.

If he wants shade rather than heritage, he'd do better with an apple on a non-dwarfing rootstock

One of our neighbours - brought up in Australia - has recently planted a eucalyptus in his tiny town garden, about 5m from various houses.. His immediate neighbour has ruffled feathers by asking, none too tactfully, I suspect, what he's going to do about tree management when it grows too big. If I get drawn in, I shall side with the idea that it's the wrong tree for the site. Our neighbours on the other side some years back planted a eucalyptus, probably the same species, and cut it down when it was 8 or 9m tall and showed no signs of slowing down.

If he wants shade rather than heritage, he'd do better with an apple on a non-dwarfing rootstock

Ah the Eucalyptus the bane of forest fires in Portugal and other places. They can suck the ground dry too but still thrive.

Rain mostly misses here again  0.5mm

Rain mostly misses here again  0.5mm

Totally missed here again... nothing for several days, so still at 6.0mm for the month.

The lawn is a shade yellower this morning, I feel!

 

Is this the racist guy?

Sounds like an imbecile, he should be aware there is nothing you can do to stop leaves falling. What does he think happens in Autumn! 

I have been very fortunate that so far, my neighbours left and right and to the back have all been good people for the past 46 years. When we used to have bonfires back in the 80s, we only got one complaint about falling ash, but that was it

 

One of several unfortunately. I suppose I should be thankful that his "landscaping" of the back garden has meant he has had to take down his flag pole and England flag!

 

Totally missed here again... nothing for several days, so still at 6.0mm for the month.

The lawn is a shade yellower this morning, I feel!

You'll have to remind me what to do if I get a deluge of those proportions   Just the 0.3mm here.

One of our neighbours - brought up in Australia - has recently planted a eucalyptus in his tiny town garden, about 5m from various houses.. His immediate neighbour has ruffled feathers by asking, none too tactfully, I suspect, what he's going to do about tree management when it grows too big. If I get drawn in, I shall side with the idea that it's the wrong tree for the site. Our neighbours on the other side some years back planted a eucalyptus, probably the same species, and cut it down when it was 8 or 9m tall and showed no signs of slowing down.

If he wants shade rather than heritage, he'd do better with an apple on a non-dwarfing rootstock

Yes, that is a mistake. I did once grow one from seed and it got to 30 foot with a 2 foot diameter trunk in less than ten years. I had that one removed as I now concentrate on native species. My SIlver Birch is 40 years old and I planted it myself. Can I apply for a preservation order?

 

Totally missed here again... nothing for several days, so still at 6.0mm for the month.

The lawn is a shade yellower this morning, I feel!

From one end of the country to the other.. we’ve only had 18mm in July. Quite something for an Atlantic facing location.

You'll have to remind me what to do if I get a deluge of those proportions   Just the 0.3mm here.

The most in any one go was just over 1mm, but it was odd... the water sort of pooled on the ground briefly. Legend holds that this happened in the dim, distant past, and our ancestors called them "puddles".

As for the TPO, my understanding is that they're only granted for exceptional specimens (e.g. a large oak in a field) or for trees that affect the public realm (so the Scots Pine I've taken over might count - it's visible from surrounding roads and, along with the other trees adjacent to it, softens the landscape).

 

Totally missed here again... nothing for several days, so still at 6.0mm for the month.

The lawn is a shade yellower this morning, I feel!

On about 6mm for the month here to 

Totally missed here again... nothing for several days, so still at 6.0mm for the month.

The lawn is a shade yellower this morning, I feel!

We had substantial rain last night, Retron - still heavy when I got up. I'd left buckets under the edge of the roof of the log shed and there were several inches of run-off in them. No point it wasting it. It can go on the beans and tomatoes. It's a grand lettuce and tomato year - credit to my other half.

I detect a faint trace of green to the lawn. I had mowed off dead stuff earlier in the week, not too brutally. It's not all weeds - there's grass too.

Right - time to watch the lionesses!!!!!!!