The Long Dry Summer of 2017.1

Waiting for the rain

these are early morning shots, before the heat sets in

As we walk crunching on the lawns - what say I? - former lawns and meadows, at Le Ripe, I reflect that the place is looking more and more like Australia. The hills have turned prematurely brown, the earth is parched, some bushes and trees, or at least their foliage, have died.

most hills are browner than this, it is quite marked

The drought has been with us since spring. There have been two mediocre rainfalls in the past 4 months or so, totalling about 30ml. It was almost the same last year but at least then we had enjoyed spring rains.

some plants have fallen by the wayside

At Le Ripe we are lucky to have our own water supply and apparently our hill is 'full of water', but as global warming and our needs increase I fear we may face greater problems in the future.

Unlike our neighbouring villages where at best water is rationed and at worst brought in with cisterns, for now we are blessed with our own water. We can water our favourite and most vulnerable plants and not feel (too) guilty about it. It has become a ritual, that hour or more every evening, dedicated to keeping the garden alive. 

With the result that the desolate, sun-baked lawns contrast sharply with the vivid green of cossetted plantings.

most native trees and bushes seem hardy enough for now