Flowers, flowers everywhere

St Eric

There was an old lady of Lot
Her garden a boring green plot

She went to the fete
'Cos she couldn't wait
And colourful flowers she got

There's a funny little hamlet near here called l'Abbeye Nouvelle. It has a ruined 13th century abbey and a few houses. Nothing much

However, every May it opens up to a flower fete and all the local producers attend. There were many and varied producers. Specialist iris producers, rose growers and exotic spice plant growers were there along with garden centres.

We were there early today. We had been warned by friends who have been before that if we weren't there by 10 there wouldn't be anywhere to park. It was good advice as when we left at 11 there wasn't a space to be had and cars were littering the local highways and byways. Tempers were fraying and cars were just being abandoned all over the place.

We spent a very pleasant hour wandering around the stalls and tripping over 'flower children' - the local children were offering to help people back to their cars with wheelbarrows full of plants in return for a donation.

There are plenty of plants to put in the, as yet, un-dug beds!

Yesterday evening we dined with friends. Last time we had been there I listed what we saw on the way home. This time there was less but more dramatic. Three cars, one hare, one rabbit, one nightingale and a wild boar - the first we have seen in the flesh. I was glad I had spotted it as it was snuffling in the undergrowth right beside the road. Of course I slowed down so as not to frighten it into running across the road.

They are amazing beasts and quite stunning to see but they cause so much damage to the farms, especially in the Lot Valley that the hunting season was extended twice this year to try and keep the numbers down. They are safe now until September when the hunting season restarts. We can totally understand the anxiety because we have seen first hand the damage they can do.

Busy week ahead again. More garden work and getting ready for our first visitors of the summer. I really must get a list together and see if we can complete it this time!