Unexpected dry and sunny day

So, English Lavender and Alchemilla Mollis are bomb-proof, don't you know? As you can see here, they are billowing beautifully over the path and even on a rainy day the scent is heavenly. I don't think there is a better smell than lavender in the whole world. I love lavender so much I recently purchased several (36) as part of a magazine deal. So 36 stumpy plants arrived and I expect that the slugs will chomp them very soon but here's hoping. I have 12 each of Munstead, Hidcote and Elegance Sky. Unfortunately I cannot recall which I planted where and should have written it down. So my weedy window boxes of salad and a random spreading specimen from Lochawe have been replaced by lavenders,

In what has been a tough summer so far with awful weather and trials at work, the poppies have been a beacon of beauty and vitality. They were so worth the endless pricking out and seed trays on every free surface. They are going over now but will give another week or 2 of fading joy until then.

 The crocosmia is flowering much earlier than expected: it probably thinks it's autumn and you can't blame him for that. I wish I had bought more because it is entrancing. Even better, the arrival of 1 has caused another one in hiding to flower for the first time since I met the garden - always wondered what it was.

The Gillenia Trifolata has continued to look beautiful this year and is a great plant to have by the back door. Also my grasses on the right look good in wind and rain which is a bonus when that's all you're getting.

This Prairie Grass is special - I can also see it from the back door and adore its blue tinge and lush demeanour. I would definitely have another one of these, unlike the miscanthus which is doing better but still doesn't make my heart sing. The prairie grass starts an opera.

The Wedding Day rose has valiantly fought the black spot and constant wet and still looks lovely. I struggle to get more white flowers into the back garden but will consider having another one of these roses. It was a Dobbies Discount Special and has taken a year or 2 to settle but now is doing well. And I moved it about 3 times last year which probably didn't help.

Hosta vs Hellebore? Always Hellebore. Purely on foliage of course, because the Hellebore has already won the flower competition (Hosta didn't even bother registering her name). The Hosta has been decimated by slugs and snails but the Hellebore does not even have 1 nibble. Ha, slugs and snails, at least 1 plant has your number.