Well it is officially what we all knew: July was wet, the wettest July on record in Ireland. Grass cutting has become a panic-job, needing to be done whenever it is dry enough to cut and it needs cutting more than once a week because it is growing fast in the wet conditions. The solar panels are struggling to be useful but everything in the garden is growing enthusiastically. Some plants seem to be blooming slightly earlier than usual, perhaps because they think the autumn rains have arrived. The first cyclamen are in bloom – that depresses me. Some days already have an autumnal feel without the pink shuttlecocks of the cyclamen, mainly because it is so overcast we have the lights on during the day!

But the new shrubs, planted in spring, have been well watered and are growing well without the need for constant watering. ‘Golden Annabelle’ is an ‘arborescens’ hydrangea that has surprised me with its vigour. I like ‘Annabelle’ in the same way that I like ‘Angel Delight’ with an overwhelming sense of guilt! It is completely vulgar but undeniably effective. When I saw ‘Golden Annabelle’ with yellow-variegated leaves it seemed like having Angel Delight with Dream Topping! (other artifical, non-food, edible products are available). Stupidly I moved the ailing cut-leaf arborescens hydrangea to a different spot and replaced it with this, expecting it to struggle. But perhaps the soil improvement was enough to please it and it has grown really well. I am not sure I need the flowers AND the leaves but the foliage is attractive when the plant is not in bloom.

Another white-flowered woody plant for August. Hoheria ‘Stardust’ was an impulse buy last year. It is usually assigned to H. sexstylosa but it is now thought to be of hybrid origin. It was named by Roy Lancaster and was first found in Scotland in the 1980s so is presumably a chance seedling. Hoherias are not always totally hardy but this had no problems here last winter. It is a small, evergreen tree, useful because it blooms in August, looking rather like a flowering cherry. I like it because, being malvaceae, the flowers have an intricate and charming form. It is slim at the moment but will broaden a little with age but it is a good choice for a small garden. The flowers seem to attract a host of insects, though not your usual pollinators – mainly flies and beetles, especially the orange beetles I know as bloodsuckers but also known as red soldier beetles (Rhagonychia fulva) – which don’t suck blood at all. I have noticed some of the flowers are opening with strappy petals, which I assume is weather-related.

Cautleya robusta has been successful this year. It was previously in a rather sunny bed that got dry in summer. It emerged very late in spring, in common with most ‘hardy gingers’ and did not bloom till September. The clump actually got quite large and, as the bed was revamped in spring, I dug it up and replanted it. I was surprised that the clump had no rhizomes as such but clumps of small tuberous roots and it was easy to divide. So I was able to plant a large drift, hoping it would cope. It didn’t miss a beat and not only settled in well but actually sprouted earlier than usual. It is also blooming a bit earlier. This may be due to a bit more shade or more moisture this summer. Of course the snails have done their worst. I wish the thrushes would eat more! One always follows me down to the gate each morning, hopping along under the apple trees. I perhaps I need to collect a bucket of snails for it.

cautleya robusta, hoheria stardust, Hydrangea golden annabelle