The warm weather came and went again. While it lasted the flowers in the town centre looked even more vibrant.

With blooms like this you can forget almost that the hotel behind is still boarded up.

By the way as part of Heritage Open Day “Tours of the Guildhall will take place at 10:00, 11:00 and 12:00 on Saturday 9th September. Places are limited so you are advised to book by e-mailing enquiries@abingdon.gov.uk.” There will also be an exhibition from 10 am this Saturday called ‘Made in Abingdon’ at the Community FreeSpace, opposite H Samuel.

There are lots of June flowers among the grasses of Barton Fields alongside the Sustrans Cycle Way. Somebody has put in equidistant stakes in the ground as part of a butterfly counting study – the email address is Exeter University.

The area has been looked after by the Abingdon Naturalists’ Society since 1999. Their website says “97% of our lowland native wildflower meadows have disappeared since the 1950’s which has sent many of our wild bee and butterflies dependent upon them into a steep decline.

So we began our native wildflower meadow restoration at Barton Fields in 2009 to aid their recovery.“

Nearby, clumps of brambles are in flower, and they too attract a lot of bees

and butterflies.

Whoever tends the garden in front of St Helen’s Church Office deserves an Abingdon in Bloom award for keeping such a variety of flowers blooming from spring until to autumn. Walking past there a few days ago there were what we think are Black Eyed Susan.

Evening Primroses

Michaelmas Daisies

and orange berries.

Before going away for our summer holidays the red white and blue flowers brightened the town centre.

Since coming back there have been a lot of sunny days, and the flower displays continue looking good, thanks to the hard work of the town council staff.

Team GB are doing amazingly well in the Olympics. It is all about peaking at the right time, every four years. Team GB have got that down to a fine art. That and a lot of targeted lottery funding.

The flowers along Thames Street peak every year – not just an Olympic year.