Official shade temperature 34.4

Full sun temperature at midday: 39.8
Temperature in closed car by mid-afternoon: biocidal.

Then a hot wind blew for hours. Poor oyster plant.

More pleasantly, such intense summer temperatures are supporting increased butterfly and bee populations in the front garden, and this feels like a major improvement over last summer.

I'm delighted to report that amongst the bees there are several native species, notably the beautiful blue-banded bee, shown here hard at work in her steel caps. Buddleia is starting to bud, and once the little six-legged darlings find that, I might have the early beginnings of a tiny sanctuary.

I've started putting out water, specially.

A great thrill on such a scorching hot day, when it was only possible to play amongst the plants during short bursts away from the couch, was finding a plump, healthy-looking caterpillar of unknown spp. Who will you become, little grub? Or who will swoop on you and predate before you pupate? I am still finding it difficult to get info on what species to expect, or to make special efforts to encourage, around here.