When the temperature climbs to the levels we have experienced over the last week or so in the south of England we are all forced to adapt.  Animals and humans seek shade or air conditioned spaces and drink copious amounts of water to prevent dehydration.  We have to rest more as our bodies are working hard to moderate our core temperature.   Plants adapt to heatwave conditions in various ways: some send their roots down deep to access any available moisture in the soil, some wilt to avoid excessive transpiration and some drop their leaves altogether resulting in reduced photosynthesis rates and efficiency.  This Flower Farmer adapted by rising at 4am in order to get to the field at 5am to pick stems in the coolest part of the day.  I also staggered the harvest over three mornings and stored buckets of flowers in fridges and in our cellar which proved to remain at least 10 degrees below the temperature of the house.  Adding ice cubes or ice packs to the water also helped.  I was able to go to bed for a couple of hours in the afternoons and join the flowers in the cellar when the house became unbearably hot - a first for this generally drafty cold Georgian house.