Well, Readers, we managed to avoid all the storms yesterday, much to my surprise – I was fully expecting to be stuck in Innsbruck for hours while we waited for the thunder and lightning to dissipate over Gatwick Airport, but in fact we arrived only ten minutes late. What a muggy, clammy afternoon it was, after the crisp mountain air! But today it actually feels a bit better, and as I look out of the window I can see the Buddleia in full flower, a sure sign that we’ve reached the middle of summer.

My lovely neighbour has been watering the pots and windowboxes in the front garden, and they’re looking very lush and green. I know I should probably weed the box in the photo above, but I rather like the combination of Mexican Fleabane, Herb Robert, Delosperma and grass, so there you go.

I have all sorts of plants just popping up – I thought this was Purple Toadflax, but the colour is wrong. Still, the Common Carder Bumblebee seemed to like it. There’s a whole lot of self-seeding going on!

The Hyssop is doing very well, and providing a bit of late summer nectar for the bees.

And the Hylotelephium (or Sedum as was) is just starting to change colour.

Some Scabious have self-seeded into a spare pot, along with the Purple Toadflax etc etc, and very delicate it is too…

The back garden is a positive jungle. I have a rather lovely magenta Buddleia there, but the insects still prefer the ‘wild’ version at the front, maybe because it gets more sun.

And the Purple Loosestrife is in flower, and is actually vertical for once (a bit like me :-)) while the Hemp Agrimony is literally taller than I am.

And so, as always, it’s nice to be home.