August is here – let’s hope the weather makes it mind up this month instead of being too cold and wet one minute and too hot the next. The poor gardens have suffered from drowning, slugs and snails and then excess heat and so have we (apart from the slugs and snails).

Take the opportunity to go garden visiting and see how others have coped and perhaps get a few ideas to weather-proof your own garden. Open locally with the NGS this month are Yew Trees near Eccleshall and also Colourmill near Leek on August 10th, Yew Trees is also open on Sunday the 11th. The Wickets at Wheaton Aston is open on August 25th. Those of you who enjoyed last year’s talk from Samantha and Nigel Hopes may like to venture a little further afield on Sunday 18th when their garden in Halesowen is open for NGS. Full details are on the NGS website (along with plenty of other gardens to visit if you are on holiday).