QuoteBut is there any way to see other peeps ignore list ?

I would certainly hope not

Blackberrys (wild) start to ripen here in certain places from mid-July onwards. Very early this year but many so small and dry that not worth picking.

At garden centre yesterday with family and they had roped an area off to prepare for the Xmas decorations display   .

Blackberry's on dog walks have been yum.

Have just seen that the small stream in back garden COMPLETELY dry. It has not done that before... previous dry spells, usually still had a tiny trickle with puddles.
That means garden pond will be the ONLY source of water around vicinity for wildlife apart from putting out shallow bowls. I suspect some creatures may visit neighbours greenhouse Tomato trays,though!

1976... there was still a flow in stream and thunderstorms had meant garden flooded several times. Construction of a storm drain and new development's drain systems in 80s reduced normal waterflow by about 50-60%... and never a flood since. They reckon thunderstorms on the way, though.

I spent the weekend in rural North Norfolk and took a stroll up to the mound that the church in Downham Market is on, from which you get stunning views for many, many miles. The only green to be seen was trees and shrubs, which looked weird against the corn coloured fields and grass. Never seen it like this, even in 1976.

Quote from: Steve J on 14 August 2022, 08:53:41 PMI spent the weekend in rural North Norfolk and took a stroll up to the mound that the church in Downham Market is on, from which you get stunning views for many, many miles. The only green to be seen was trees and shrubs, which looked weird against the corn coloured fields and grass. Never seen it like this, even in 1976.

It's very much that way here in the Midlands. Scorched brown except for the also somewhat desiccated and limp shrubs and trees.

The lawn is... well... less a lawn, more like a parched Savannah.

We're similar up here although the bottom end of our garden is quite shaded with trees and unkept weeds/growth.  The top end is parched but we've stripped that back to the dirt anyway so it's not really affecting much.

The resident frogs don't seem to be suffering, we had 8 of them out last night waiting on some unfortunate insects to wander by.  We've put extra water down there for them just in case.

'Wild Garden' was lovely, once... but recent years of neglect... overgrown, with over heavy tree cover. Plenty of vegetation but ground VERY dried out. I doubt remaining Bluebells will survive... though Wild Garlic almost certainly will. NEVER plant Wild Garlic!   

Some..., very little... spots of rain 05.30... but not enough to do anything.

I love wild garlic!

I gather it's both hardy and invasive though The one thing still thriving is the bloody bindweed in ours. Strangling sod.

Good job on the frogs Leon, I'm reading a lot of warnings to put accessible water out for animals as their usual sources are gone :/

Luckily still signs of our hedgehog visiting, which is good. I leave water out all year long for the birds to bathe in plus we have a very small wildlife pond that is used mainly for drinking and for the frogs to rest in now and then. I have had to water the garden at least once a day for over a week, to help keep the bugs and insects going to feed the food chain (namely hedgehog and frogs).

The Blackberries in the garden are just ready for harvesting.  Freezing them as we pick them - bramble jelly as usual I expect.  The wild bramble we also used to collect from have all been grubbed out to make way for a development of about 100 three and four bedroom houses.  This is in small town where the two schools and surgeries are already full.  Runner beans are very poor this year, can't get enough water on them even with an irrigation system which I've decided to turn off for all the good it is doing. Chilli plants are doing well though.  The grass is like straw but it will recover as it always does.  We still have frogs living in and around our small pond but our hedgehog population has dwindled from five a few years ago to none last year.  Our hibernation boxes weren't used last winter.  Garden birds seem to have almost disappeared during this drought and we only see them coming down to have a drink and bathe first thing.  They are not feeding during the drought on the usual stuff we put out for them - the containers are usually emptied in a couple of days but are hardly touched at the moment.  The countryside here reminds me of Australia - brown. It is all a bit depressing as if we have finally succeeded and screwed the planet properly.

QuoteI love wild garlic!
I gather it's both hardy and invasive though The one thing still thriving is the bloody bindweed in ours. Strangling sod.
Good job on the frogs Leon, I'm reading a lot of warnings to put accessible water out for animals as their usual sources are gone :/

I like smell of Wild Garlic and flower but leaves smother other spring plants. Planted small clump in 90s. 10yrs later, covering up back. Digging out has no effect...like ground Elder. Now has achieved  successful 'river' crossings and advancing! Eating tubers may be toxic to pets...don't know about leaves. Don't think they try eating it... but sometimes wonder about crushed leaf sap on Feet/Fur?
A couple of Frogs in Pond and Hedgehogs seem to be doing OK.
Just few spots of light rain so far, here.

Virtually nothing, rain wise, here yesterday....Though I could see one HELL of a localised downpour going on a few miles away.

Weather finally broke last night, rained constantly for last sixteen hours or so, to varying degrees.

Barely seems to have touched the sides, but hopefully a good few damp days in the mid twenties at worst will let us recover!

Cooler here thank God to the point of needing to wear more than one layer of clothing. Steady rain on and off over the past day or so, aside from the torrential downpour. I'm in the garden later so will have a better idea of how deep or not it penetrated.