Fixing a Jaguar engine to the cement mixer was a mistake

Seems ages since I last wrote this – my apologies to the many people who have, no doubt, been pining for a new episode. Had a wonderful three days in Paris: weather perfect, food great etc etc etc. We stayed at an amazing hotel

which is run by friends of mine: it is called L’Hotel near St Germain. Extraordinary building based around six storeys of tubular hall, extremely comfortable, perfect service, delicious food, Oscar Wilde drew his final breath – go there. www.l-hotel.com

Since getting back life has been a little irritating as my wireless network has been behaving very badly which is deeply annoying. I seem to have an engineer living here permanently – I am particularly peeved with Apple whose stuff I adore but who seem to have a problem with their shiny new iMacs and wireless thingies. (This is getting a bit nerdy, isn’t it ? I will shut up on that subject.)

Went to see a potential new client in East Sussex/Kent on Wednesday. Glorious sunshine and finally a bit of a bite to the temperature- the leaves are beginning to turn and our morning walks through loose frost are beautiful.

This is a picture of Thurrock services where I stopped for a tepid expresso and a leaden croissant.

Autumn is with us – which is more than can be said for my bulb order which is in transit somewhere. I am having bad luck with lorries as another delivery (containing lights for a garden) succeeded in demolishing the client’s front gate – which is particularly galling as it has been recently (and painstakingly) rebuilt.

Still everything still looks beautiful out there – my Nerines are particularly striking (especially the buds) and my Geranium psilostemon (which we cut back hard about six weeks ago is flowering like a teenager).

Today I intend to decimate the Verbena bonariensis which, though divine most of the time, has now become a little tedious as the first flush of passion passes. Beneath a large group of Verbena lies a block of box hedging that I planted in the spring and have not seen since July – I feel it might appreciate a little fresh air.

I am listening to En Fuego by the Latin Project and the picture is of the aforementioned Nerines.