Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
11th July 2026
Brown Scene
Crikey – at this rate, my column will have to be renamed ‘Brown Scene’ as green is rapidly turning to brown in the countryside. I have noticed that a lot of normally quite drought tolerant plants are struggling and wilting and whilst roses have been bloomin’ stunning, the blooms are not lasting very long at all.
Try to dead head where you can, as this will save them putting energy into trying to keep their dead blooms going. You may well get a second flush, especially if we do have some rain soon.
Whereas, as a lot of flowering shrubs and plants are blooming for less amount of time as they are stressed, spare a thought for the Hemerocalis – or Day Lily – which as the name suggests, the blooms only last for one day. I was admiring them in my own garden early one morning and it’s really quite extraordinary the amount of detail and effort nature puts into every flower, for it to last just a single day.
Obviously other blooms are opening and strutting their stuff for 24 hours too, making the plant very worthwhile having in the border.
Mad Hatter
Whilst my own ‘keep-cool’ methods are a bit dubious (and feral) and include putting my head under a garden tap, jumping in a stream and/or soaking my hat (and vest) in cold water regularly, a few people have recommended a neck fan for this hot weather. They look a bit like headphones around your neck, but I tried a friend’s for a few minutes and was surprised that it actually blew cold air rather than just recycling hot air.
Despite being rather refreshing, I haven’t yet ‘added to basket’ as I’m not a fan (pun intended) of things around my neck and it would probably just one more thing that I put down and never found again in the wake of the menopause. But, apparently, they are very effective and, as my friend works in a kitchen, she wouldn’t be without hers in these regular heat waves.
I did used to use cooling neck wraps, which contained a sort of ‘swell gel’ – a gel that expanded when wet and which kept you cool for a couple of hours at a time, until you re-wet them. They were quite effective and I had forgotten about them until now – so maybe I will be adding those to basket again. They’re not as bulky as a fan.
My brother puts a 2 litre bottle of water in the freezer every night to take to work the next day. It’s still partly frozen in the afternoon and seems one of the best ways to ensure a cool drink in some of the remote places we work.
As I mentioned, I often put my hat under the tap, or in a stream to soak it before wearing – and as it’s a Tilley hat, it doesn’t mind that sort of treatment. But Tilley also do a Cooling Insert for some of their hats. The cooling material apparently ‘absorbs and slowly releases water through evaporation, supercharging the body’s natural cooling process.’
Having been plagued by horse flies last week, I also noticed that Tilley do a Bug Head Net that is compatible with some of their hats – particularly the Airflo styles. www.uk.tilley.com
It sits around the crown of your hat, draping over the face, a bit like a beekeepers hat and veil, to keep you protected from bugs and midgies. They say, “The lightweight, breathable mesh keeps the coverage comfortable, while the extra length can be tucked into your shirt for added protection. When it’s not in use, it packs into its own small stuff sack and stays ready for the next buggy stretch.’ It’s no secret that I love a hat. I have been quite enamoured by their website and think I’ll be upgrading my Hat Portfolio. You know what they say, “If you want to get ahead, get a hat’ – and even better if it’s practical.
I’m sure that I usually write about horse flies at this time of year. Some people have an awful reaction to being bitten by them. I’m lucky in so far as not only do I not react (apart from swearing and swatting them), I don’t often get bitten. My brother insists it’s because I’m too bitter.
Avon’s Skin So Soft (Original) body spray used to be the ‘outdoorists’ best kept secret, but not so much now. Thankfully, whilst it’s less of a secret, it’s still pretty effective for most people, including the SAS and Scottish fishermen.
I have the Skin So Soft in the truck, and use it when I remember, but I have taken to wearing the Pestect’s Mosquito Repellent Bracelets. www.pestects.co.uk. Mostly because I like them, but I do think whilst they’re supposed to be mostly effective against mosquitoes, they also deter horse flies.
Or maybe I am just bitter!
Monkey Around
July 14th (Tuesday) is ‘World Chimpanzee Day’, established in 2018 to commemorate the day when Dr. Jane Goodall, a leading expert in wild Chimpanzee research who passed away in October 2025, first set foot in Gombe, a Chimpanzee habitat in Africa.
And what better excuse could there be than a ‘dedicated’ day to go and visit Wales Ape and Monkey Sanctuary in Abercrave. Of course, you don’t have to visit on Tuesday – the Sanctuary is open 7 days a week (10.30 – 5 pm) and you can even arrange to have a Meet and Greet, where you can get up close with the chimps, baboons, monkeys, meerkats or their serval cat, accompanied by the head keeper.
The sanctuary is a haven for over 200 residents – not only chimpanzees but also baboons, monkeys, meerkats, wolf dogs and more, with each having a different story and rescued from a different background.
As well as visiting, you can support by donating, adopting an animal and even buying ‘goodies’ for them online, from a ‘wish list’. I spoke to Jan last week and she said that visitors are also welcome to bring fruit, and especially yoghurts, for the primates as they freeze them, making perfect treats in the hot weather.
Jan and Graham are also thrilled to have a brand new website up and running and I must admit it is an absolute delight to navigate, and with lots of photos that will make you ‘ooooh’ and ‘ahhhh’.
All the details you need (and more) at www.ape-monkey-rescue.org.uk
Get Your Own Ball
You may have noticed that I haven’t mentioned the ‘football’ at all. I do appreciate that some people are fanatical about it, even if Wales were ‘overlooked’ this time. And I always recall a non-sporting friend’s comical observation, when in our teens, “I don’t understand why they fight over one ball – why don’t they just get one each”.
Leave a Reply