Ponches-Estruval was as quiet as ever (apart from next door’s dog) and a delightful place to spend a relaxing week. Dunc and Kate joined us for a number of days and of course we had to visit St Valery and Le Crotoy.  St Valery has the wonderfully idiosyncratic Herbarium where the new orchard area is bearing strange fruit (see above).  And we couldn’t miss out a visit, our third, to Maizicourt, one of our favourite gardens, if not the favourite. What a variety of styles and planting within its spacious grounds!  I’m not sure how clear the sketch will be, but I hope it gives conveys something of all of these experiences – plus the Pot du Clape, in Montrieul, where we had a very nice and very inexpensive lunch..