It rained! We had an alert to say that there was going to be heavy rain. Wahhooooo!! Except, the night before it was due, the water supply to the village was shut off because of, ‘a problem with the pump’ (coincidence?!) and it stayed off for the next two days. When it returned, we were on emergency rations for the next two days, and we were told only to use water for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene. So outside the garden was flooded (briefly) and rain was falling in sheets, but we had nothing to wash clothes with!

As desertification increases, this will become more frequent, which is why I am using water as one of my diploma design areas (to be revealed at a later stage!)

Luckily, there was some grey water remaining in my kitchen grey water system, and I have a 1000 litre tank which benefitted from a big influx of rainwater, so at least the garden benefitted!

All over the place fruits are setting and swelling… peaches, figs, apples, pears, lemons, limes, grapefruit, grapes, as well as aubergines, peppers, and a huge number of tomatoes in the wicking bed part of the grey water system. Cucumbers, squashes, and Malabar spinach are putting on several centimetres of growth every day. My coriander has already decided that it’s too hot and has provided an impressive amount of seed, to use in cooking, and for planting in the autumn.

Tiny praying mantises are dotted around all over the place and will help to maintain balance in the biodiversity here.

The seating area I’ve built near the pond is being used a great deal (thanks to a table and chairs gifted when our friends upgraded theirs), and I’ve used lots of recycled materials to erect a sort of roof. The jasmine, honeysuckle and roses are scrambling over, which is making it into a scented, shaded haven. Lovely!

Happy June gardening!