June

June is the month to be in England: soft and balmy summer weather, the London Season, roses, Chelsea, Ascot, Wimbledon and, above all, Lords. The first flush of soft fruit – cherries, gooseberries and apricots, as well as strawberries and raspberries – has begun and the summer vegetables are burgeoning.

The only problem – a minor one, I concede – is that June is one of the best months everywhere. Those of us who visit Italy only in August, for example, have no idea how lush and sweet the Italian countryside is in May and June. A few years ago I spent a week in Alaska in June. There the summer is so short they cannot grow much, but the fish are jumping, the weather is temperate and sunny, and watching otters in broad daylight at midnight is a delight.