Disappointingly, the wildebeeste was neither wild nor beastly

Today it rained. Proper rain dripping from leaking gutters and irritating the cat. I spoke to Marina Christopher at Phoenix Perennial Plants who said it was the first proper rain that she had seen since May. As a result she was ecstatic at the idea of limited watering for the first time in months. Marina’s nursery near Alton in Hampshire is one of my favourites. There is always something interesting and her extraordinary depth of knowledge is truly awesome. Phoenix Perennial Plants 01420 560695 (although I have bought all the Sanguisorba Arnhem and if you find any others hiding out down there – keep your thieving mitts off them.

I am listening to Johnny Cash seeing 25 Minutes to Go from the Folsom Prison Live album.

The picture is of the seedhead of Chamerion (formerly Epiobium) Stahl Rose – which Marina describes in her catalogue as “Beautiful but dangerous”. It is stunning but eager to be off invading nearby plants and,probably, small countries.