Have I done something wrong?

DH said that it was reported on the BBC (I think) that ants fly on just one day a year.
I used to think that was true too, but I think now that it is a myth.

We had an invasion of flying ants last week and yesterday as we sat in the garden having a cuppa we could see them all rising up from the ground, then the swallows or swifts gathering for a feast!

You probably wouldn't like our soil petra, our garden seems to be an anthill.

A report in yesterday's Evening Standard tells of "Londoners being bombarded by flying ants". We always see them when a storm is brewing.

jalima
Could be an opportunity for a little cottage industry there
Baggs
Thanks for the info. im assuming it will be ok to dig the organic matter in ( ready for next season) in the autumn.
I have what one might call a crowded garden ( I don't) if there's room for a plant, one goes in.

It will be fine. My bottle brush plant is the best it's ever been this year. I marvel at how such beautiful things grow out of the ground, even at my age!

Soil that dries out quickly needs more humus (organic matter). You could try digging in, or just putting on top, a bark mulch or something. I don't have much experience of dry soil though.

You could bring a truckload here and we could mix your porous soil with our clay and divide it up. I could make cups and saucers with some of the 'soil'.
sorry, that is not much help

Try mixing some Perlite into your soil.

I feel a lot better now
Another thing while I'm here. My soil is very porous ( does that sound right)
I know I live in a very dry area and close to the beach ( Southend) but the water just seems to run away. Is there something I can mix into the soil to hold the water.
And that's not taking into account my water bill [ shock]

It should be fine petra, they will have been in the soil (for some reason they love soil in pots) and will have flown away to make new nests. It's that time of year.
Or are dead!

Must look out for the pellets Smithy

I usually use ant pellets but have only had crawling ants not flying ones. The pellets do not harm the plants hopefully the spray won't either.