Coping with the heat.

[Keith_Beef]

If I get a bikini out, guaranteed it will rain!!
Shall I dare it?

Well if your lady garden needs wetting a bit, go for it.

 

[Woody girl]

Well if your lady garden needs wetting a bit, go for it.

I have a feeling you are being a tad crude. No?
Be careful, I seem to have control of the weather with my sunnies and factor 50. I might just call for a bolt of lightning to give you a flash

 

[Falstaff]

I’m going to add a Brise Soleil to the side door and rear window currently covered with an old dust sheet. Also looking at putting some screening on rear conservatory/porch for next round of heat this summer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brise_soleil

Same principle as a pergola, they're a good solution but take a bit of a hammering from the sun and the weather. You might want to make them plastic and/or demountable for maintenance and to maybe put away for winter.

 

[Herman30]

Well if your lady garden needs wetting a bit, go for it.

You, sir, are a rotten scoundrel! No gentleman addresses a lady in such a manner!
We shall settle this at dawn in the back meadow, with pistols!

 

[nigelp]

Same principle as a pergola, they're a good solution but take a bit of a hammering from the sun and the weather. You might want to make them plastic and/or demountable for maintenance and to maybe put away for winter.

I was thinking of a removable framework of light weight wood covered in greenhouse screening.

 

[Falstaff]

That would work well, and if the frame also comes apart you can roll it up in a single bundle ready for the next season. It'll need to be able to handle wind gusts.
On my greenhouse I loose lay the screening on the outside with some soft weights, e.g. little sandbags on strings. That way it can lift up a bit, flap and fall back down again in big gusts.

 

[Woody girl]

Well, awke to rain and cooler temps today. What a relief for the garden, and for me. The water butts are almost empty, and my shoulders and wrist are aching from carrying gallons of water up and down the garden each morning and evening.
My spinach has bolted too. I havnt even begun to harvest it yet.
Still, not to worry, I'm happy we had a nice warm spell, now some rain, and cooler temps will mean the garden will begin to thrive again. The soil definatly needs a good soaking now.
I've got every bucket and even ice cream containers out collecting the rain for helping to fill the water butts, as non of mine can be connected to downpipes.
I'm glad I bought the sunnies, factor 50 and rehydration sachets just in time for it to cool down and rain
Still havnt had the drenching we were promised. It's just gentle rain atm. Quite refreshing after all that heat.