Meanwhile, nature's doing fine...

 Saw last year how the Virginia Stock self-seeded from containers on the driveway, so I sowed them last Autumn straight into the gravel.

 

 

 You go away for 10 days and nature gets on with its business.

 

This California poppy was the first to flower, self-seeded and fertlized by a very attractive cigarette butt, by the looks of things. Plants just want to grow...

What a pleasure...