More Flowers Please

Green is good; tall lush green is better, but where oh where is the colour?!
We've put in a lot of effort (and plants) over the last couple of years and by now the garden should be full of colour and flowers, so in a way the fact that everything is so verdant  is small consolation.  Having said that though, the old stalwart the Perennial Wallflower (Bowles Mauve) bloomed copiously, the Lupins and roses have been fab as were the  Delphiniums, but the Lavender is still obstinately refusing to open its flowers and is, like most of its neighbours, sagging under the weight of water falling from the heavens on a monotonously regular basis.

The real worry though is that I haven't seen many bees and insects over the last few days and I worry that bee colonies won't be able to make enough honey to see them through the winter.
On the upside (yes, there always has to be one!) I've been chuffed with some of the flowers that have appeared in the garden this year. Seeds that I scattered and forgot about such as cornflowers and wild poppies have suddenly come to life after 3 years if waiting.  It never ceases to amaze me how clever plants are, from the fact that we still don't know exactly what chemical process turns the leaves red in autumn to the appearance of flowers from seeds that have laid dormant for years just waiting for a nice soggy summer.
So come rain or shine and despite disgruntled Lavender, floppy Poppies and horizontal Verbena I'll count my blessings.
LxXx