Anyone dealing with drought and hosepipe bans will be sending out the same woeful message. It’s tough. However there are some things to enjoy. So here’s my six for this week.

One

Tomatoes. This week I went to see Benton End: a Paradise of Pollen and Paint at the Garden Museum in Lambeth, London. There’s a great painting there by Cedric Morris, showing the ingredients for Elizabeth David’s Ratatouille and the description includes a dictum by Elizabeth David – tomatoes ‘should be accompanied by a drink appropriate to the region and circumstance.’ I had a terrible time with my tomato seeds this year and resorted to buying in from the local nursery. It’s been a great mix. I’m going to say that it’s due to the weather but maybe those professional growers have superior skills! My absolute favourites have been ‘Supersteak’. Needless to say I have taken Elizabeth David’s advice.

Two

Marigolds. Grown from seed and mysteriously doing well here where once again the garden seems to have a secret supply of water. I’m not complaining.

Three

Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterfly’. These are hard to show well in a photo so this one will have to do. I really enjoy these but never manage to keep them. This year I grew some from seed and managed to get six to planting out size. If they don’t over-winter I shall be growing from seed again. If they would only establish I might get a large clump that photograph well.

Four

Cosmos. I had several trays of these, some I shared with my daughter and the rest were waiting to go out into the garden. It became impossible to chip away at the soil and so I’ve put them into a large container. After a month in 9cms they are somewhat diminished in size but I’m sure they’ll romp away soon and no doubt sprawl all over the place. They have been pinched out so perhaps they’ll behave.

Five

Cucumbers. I went back to ‘Burpless’ this year but they do seem to have suffered more from heat stress. I also grew ‘Emilie’, shown here. I try to pick them small, which sometimes means picking every day. I’ll be growing these again and may forego ‘Burpless’ next year.

Six

I gave this hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ two cans of water on Friday night, to prepare it for this morning’s photocall. The bedraggled background is my poor rhododendron, I’m not sure that one is going to survive.

The garden produce is keeping us happy at the moment. The first courgette arrived and was duly cooked up with tomatoes and bacon lardons for a pasta. Those tomatoes also go well with the French beans for a salad mix, and the tomatoes are stars again with basil and black olives for another tasty salad. Elizabeth David I thank you!

Over to Jim at Garden Ruminations for more SOS posts and Jim’s own personal selection. More sun, no rain so more watering can work for me. Happy Gardening.