Neither damn'd nor elusive

Extensive research (thirty seconds on Google Images) has helped me identify the tiny red wildflowers on my plot. They are, rather pleasingly, scarlet pimpernel, pictured left. Unlike their namesake, they are easy to find due to ubiquity.

I've made several visits this week, mostly to water everything as it has been hot and dry. I also weeded the leek bed; there are a handful of leeks that will need augmenting with some bought plants. The broad beans are continuing to develop pods. I have a few strawberries, now sitting on a mulch of straw. The potatoes look like they are developing flower buds, and the salad greens all look fairly healthy. Only the French and runner beans still look feeble. We are forecast a wet weekend, so perhaps that might help. The mange tout are just starting to grow; I hope the slugs don't feast on them over the weekend. Definite signs of growth from the lollo rosso and mesclun, too.

There's been an outbreak of friendliness and encouragement from my neighbours, too, although still no sign of previously virtuous Mr Next Door; the grass is now waist high at the end of his plot, and the rest of it is thick with rather pretty wildflowers.