Flower Troughs

Here in rural France, you're constantly reminded of how people lived in previous centuries. Nearly every old property has a well and many villages still have their massive stone troughs which were originally intended to hold water for cattle and horses.

Now our communes plant them up with flowers and we vie with one another to be awarded stars for floral displays. These old troughs are spilling over with cosmos and other gaudy annuals which must require regular watering. If it was left to me, I'd fill them with lavender and pinks... less bright colour, perhaps, but lots of powerful scent on a hot afternoon.