Since I got home, I’ve had to search each morning for the newspaper. I haven’t found Wednesday’s paper yet, even though I donned gardening gloves and had a good rummage in the foliage. I once found a newspaper, six months out of date, stuck in the middle of a rose bush by the gate. As is usual in spring, everything seems to have grown like crazy and each year there’s less and less lawn left on the front berm.

Other plants aren’t doing so well, sadly. The lime tree’s leaves were curled and drooping when I got back after 12 days away. I watered it immediately – perhaps it hadn’t been able to get any rain as it was sheltered under the eaves of the house to protect it from frost. Since then, the leaves have all dropped off, although there are still some flower buds and three small limes. If it fails, it will be the second lime tree I have lost.

A bay tree, also in a container, is looking sick and many leaves are dotted with scale. I’ve sprayed it with Eco-oil, watered and fed it.

I won’t be picking these leaves to use in cooking. The self-sown bay tree by the front gate, however, has luxuriant growth.