Everything is dripping with the incessant rain and looking forlorn. The buddleia although blooming is weighed down with the wet and needs a good burst of sunshine to perk it up, the black knight looks sad.

The hibiscus (blue bird) is doing well but also needs some rays. The lavatera is over and straggly, must get chopping back soon before the winds rock the roots.

The jasmine ( fiona sunrise, gorgeous lime green leaf) is leafing well, but no balmy nights to waft it's scent. At least the rain makes all the ivy look glossy.

Good show from the gladioli that I begrudgingly planted, the corms were a present, I think they look too prim and proper, ok peachy colour though.

Geraniums still putting on a good show after a severe hacking back, although my petunias are all but drowned. Lilies been and gone for another year. Some yellow climbing roses still blooming strong through and around the dead plum tree, which hosts some spectacular, but no doubt lethal looking fungi.

Rosemary and all the mints behaving well and a boon in the kitchen, made some ice cubes with sprigs of pineapple mint in each one for the hell of it.

Bizzy lizzies spilling out of old kettles, lovely apricot colours and seemingly rain resistant. All the 'structural' plants, cordylines, fatsia japonicas, choisyas etc look very handsome wet, so all is not lost. Just need a dryish spell now to sit out there and ponder on life.

The honesty is seeded and I love the papery moon cases, will leave that to spread itself about. The asters, a heathery mauve are coming along nicely and the calendulas are my sunshine at the moment.