Back in Wales, rather an unwanted surprise awaited us – we arrived, looked down over the garden and it took a few seconds to work what was wrong – for a huge branch had broken from the main trunk of one of the trees edging the river bank on our side and was lying across the garden. It’s obvious that the whole tree is precarious – it is hollow with decay. Luckily our neighbours have a wood burning stove and in exchange for removing the broken branch, they have wood for a few weeks. We’ll need to work out how we’re going to deal with the rest.

Meanwhile on the other side of the garden, the broom I planted last year is unexpectedly flowering, and smells devine – more to come later!