That old wisteria again...

Always pretty Wisteria...that's a bonus, more blooms, i've got a Clematis that's doing the same thing, no complaints from me, still times are changing in the plant world too....

I'm with you there! Always happy to see them...had a clematis armandii bloomed twice this year too....doesn't happen every year though...

I expect you need the shade if you are from the Charente region, exactly which area are you in please?

Hi Dottydaisy2...we certainly do need the shade!! The weather this year has been unbelievably hot and dry!
Also, our hamlet is set in a meander of a prehistoric river bed, so is sheltered on all four sides, which traps the heat...
We are in South Charente (nearest town Chalais), right on the borders of Dordogne and Charente Maritime...and only a few kilometres from Gironde...
...very pretty...all sunflowers at the moment :)

What a coincidence Karen...we had planned some time back to move to the Gironde...but decided to stay put in the end...too much upheaval...

By the way, we had RAIN all last night, I've got the door open and can smell the freshness from where i'm sitting...is that not maner from heaven....lol...have you had any yet...

Rain?...lucky you, Sue! It is forecast for today...but not looking like it at the moment :(
There might have been some kind of storm last night, though, because there was a power outage at some point. Not enough to leave any puddles or miss the watering...:(

Maybe its on its way to you...we just saw a couple of dark clouds, but that tends not to mean anything, I did hear thunder about 5am...but even that wasn't much...
Did you enjoy your trip...I bet you were tired when you got back, it's a long journey...

The Scottish visit was lovely but very tiring...I had to shuttle my mum up and down the motorway to visit Kitkat (my daughter) and Ruaridh (pronounced Rory, my bonny wee grandson)...I just hate driving in the UK now, it's so stressful - not used to having other traffic around me, anymore!!

Got back to find several plants dead - one of them being my beautiful pond iris! OH watered every day...but he doesn't really notice things going wrong 'til it's too late!

OH is here full time at the moment, working his notice and on holiday, before leaving for Nigeria at the end of the month...consequently, I never have any time to myself! lol!

I've got about 6 weeks to make sure that the garden is sorted out for the gardener to maintain, before I have to go too.....African gardening, here I come....

In the meantime, it does look like it might rain tonight! :)

My goodness you are going to be busy...just make sure the gardener is a garden lover..and be specific with your instructions...H and I used to look after many a Holiday home/travelling customers gardens, and we cared for them like our own...when we were on the I.O.W. Wish I was closer H and I would help...
African gardening, that could be exciting...good luck...

I think I can trust Camille, he is a retired policeman who now gardens in his retirement...albeit in a very French way! He drops his wife off and collects her every weekday morning at my neighbour's house, where she cleans...so he will be able to be here often. But, you are right - I'll have to leave very specific instructions, especially about the things which will need done in the Autumn and in early Spring.

We'll come back for a few weeks at Xmas and then I'll come back, probably in June (although if it's anything like this year, it'll be too late to do much moving/planting) and stay until September. I'm actually terrified of having to leave it all...especially, since it is still all so new and will need a lot of attention, tweaking, moving, etc. over the next couple of years.....:(