Mushroom season in the Périgord 26 Aug 2013 | 08:48 pm

There was four or five hours steady rain yesterday, useful rain, everything's better for it following a hot and dry July and August. There were people in the woods this morning. Lot's of people, at t...

Spanish Plume 28 Jul 2013 | 06:02 pm

A lull in the heat today. After a seemingly endless run of 35 degree days,  today is a pleasant 28C with lower humidity before the heat builds again as hot air moves up from North Africa and Spain -  ...

High Summer 15 Jul 2013 | 06:51 pm

Don't Mow the Meadow! 5 Jul 2013 | 04:11 pm

So it's July 5th 2013, and I reckon, courtesy of a cool and cloudy spring, that the meadow is a good two weeks behind where it was this time last year.  I can live with that. If it extends the length ...

Diary date June 12th 13 Jun 2013 | 01:16 am

Things are moving a pace in these, the longest days.  Phlomis russeliana and fruticosa, the Jerusalem sages are putting up lemon whorls. The Cardoon is towering  amongst the Santolina virens and Lave...

Order of the Thistle 6 Jun 2013 | 01:28 pm

Every bit as statuesque as a cardoon, Onopordum acanthium, the Scots thistle is surging ahead in the June sunshine. Their tight artichoke like buds are poised for a final ascent before flushing to a ...

Grey, Green, Chartreuse 20 May 2013 | 09:32 pm

Unseasonably cool at the moment. Very green however.

The 'Sheete of 'Orse' 12 May 2013 | 08:31 pm

 That's what the lady said. In their first year, "give zem horse sheete, yes, plenty sheete of orse', which of course I knew to be horse manure. I'm refering to the kindly advice given by the vendor w...

Les Printanières de la Brande 6 May 2013 | 11:07 pm

They're almost weekly now these spring plantfairs. May is a busy month. This weekend saw the annual two day event at La Brande, just past Vergt which incidentaly is at the centre of the world famous D...

Jardin en Fete - Neuvic 30 Apr 2013 | 07:02 pm

Venues rarely get better than this. The annual garden fete,  Jardin en fête, at the Chateau de Neuvic is always a great day out. Karen and I spent a few hours last Sunday wandering around the magnific...