Thanks for those enthusiastic comments Vicki and Lynn.
Our gardens probably look the best they've ever looked at the moment. That's because we've been watering like crazy, as there will be a wedding in them on Friday (our fourth one so far). If the drought continues into July--and there is every indication that it will--there is no way we can afford to keep watering. We're also expecting a watering ban to materialize at some point. We'll ask for an exemption for those plants that are historic, very old, or both.
