We’ve been for a dose of inspiration today and to see how the veggie garden at Rosemoor has been coping with this dreadful summer. I was hoping to find their veggies in as poor a state as mine are so I could take comfort that an army of experts have fared as badly as me.

I didn’t find that and in fact their veggie garden looks marvellous. In particular, whereas my squashes and courgettes are woeful, theirs are fab. They’ve also got chillis and peppers out of doors, whereas all of mine are under glass.

So, I could derive no comfort from their progress but nonetheless, I’ve been inspired as I always am at Rosemoor. This shot of DM is taken in an arch of climbing beans – nothing new there really except they had the idea of making the arch over a pathway, rather than over a bed – pure genius (sorry if that makes me a dimwit but I’ve never seen that done in all of the years I’ve been growing veggies, watching gardening programmes and visiting gardens) – that gives more space for growing other stuff, easy access to pick the beans and best of all the darkness of the tunnel of beans makes it an unfriendly environment for weeds!

He thinks he looks dorky in the hat, I think he looks very cute! He's always an inspiration to me.

The RHS is a wonderful institution – really inspirational and worth every penny of my annual sub. We’ve seen an array of birds, bees, butterflies and mammals – including a vole and several mice, not to mention the planting and ideas.

Not only that but the nicest route to Torrington from home takes us along the western side of Dartmoor, which has been bathed in glorious sunshine today. Simply stunning!

Last year, I was having a depressing day!