Monday 7th.

Time flashes by, and garden activity seems to consist of hedge cutting (I’ve made a start of some of the box which has got too wide) and grass cutting. Downpours today have precluded any gardening, but we needed the watering. I am still undecided about where to put the beautiful Acer metcalfii but may put it above the upper autumn bed. I noticed that Acer Silver Cardinal is dying - maybe from the nearby stump (?honey fungus). I shall fell it. We will need to get the stump out and cleaned up. Salvia dombeyi came through the mild winter and is starting to flower; I also noticed that Anopterus glandulosus has formed some flower buds - exciting seven years after planting.

Friday 11th.

Rob & James have done all the hedging and today they & I did all the grass. It all looks amazingly smart. It was all in aid of filming of the garden, via Sarah Chesters from Rosemoor, which was to happen tomorrow, but it has been postponed for a fortnight because it is forecast to rain in the afternoon. It has been a wonderful day today and I managed to plant the three Boehmerias from Trellisick as well as Acer metcalfii  also from Trellisick. These are some of the plants I was given by the NT gardeners three weeks ago, and there are still more to go in. I put the Acer near Aesculus x briotii as it is so wonderful and deserves a place on its own. I may yet move it in the Autumn but will live with it first.

Saturday 12th.

I was rather pathetically walking the dogs, having a stinking cold, when I spotted Rhododendron sino-nutallii flowering. Scented flowers and red new growth.

Thursday 24th.

The very hot weather continues - 25-28C for the last few days and continuing for the next few days. The parts of the garden in the shade are still moist enough, but other bits are now getting dry, and the hydrangeas are looking a bit droopy. Still, the sun/heat lovers are enjoying themselves. I have managed to do some planting in spite of the heat, and I hope things won’t look too droopy when the filming takes place Saturday morning. This morning I took cousin David Kurani and his sons Amin & Karim to the station; they fly back to Beirut tomorrow. David was reliving some of his childhood in Virginia - especially pleased to see Magnolia grandiflora, and took a flower to inspect and smell.

Saturday 26th.

Sarah Chesters brought cameraman Dave this morning and spent from 10am to 1.30-pm filming in the garden. The first hour was taken up be her interviewing me first on the terrace, and then looking at a few of the plants. It was very hot, and the garden is beginning to look rather dry.

The programme is apparently on gardens in the southwest, two at each season. It will be interesting to see how it comes out. They went on to Cliffe after here, and I went to Ilfracombe for rehearsal and then concert.

It is too hot to garden properly, except to pull out some weeds.