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These photos would make good subjects for painting, Linda. Pretty colours.

Thanks Ange, I let the poppies grow where they wanted to. I've just been out and watered the flowerbeds.

It's like concrete in our borders (clay). We were supposed to get rain yesterday - a few full-on minutes and that's it. The g'house is unbearable and we have the fan on. I almost despair of trying to garden this year!

It's hard to grow plants in clay soil Ange. We've had clay soil before, in one of our gardens of the past, and I used to put some grit and compost into the hole before planting anything. We used to have an area for composting down things and when it was ready, we'd spread that around in the winter and that helped too.

Linda, we have 4 compost bins and buy stuff in, too. We spread compost in spring and autumn. And plant new additions with extra grit, compost etc. The very top layer is improving (after 8 years!) but once you get past that it's solid clay and then onto solid chalk. In winter it's sopping, in hot summers, like concrete!

Sounds like you're doing your best Ange. Clay soil isn't easy to cope with.