Three things

1. Lavendar covered with bees of various varieties and so many butterflies this year

2. New Zealand flax flowered for first time since planting 8 years ago

3. Sunshine and warmth so it's possible to sit and enjoy the garden and views for such an extended period (usually a bit of a chilly wind where we are in Northumberland)

A truly lovely summer this year

butterflies and bees, prolific output of sweet peas and the fact that the tall plants I put in last autumn, to gain a bit of height in the borders, have all taken.

The vast quantities of roses, they have been amazing, so much so that I have had to acquire a new one-handed grabbing pruner. Any excuse for a new gadget...

The equally vast quantities of butterflies, which have kept OH very happy and occupied.

The very hot weather coupled with monsoon-like rains at night, which have meant that I haven't had to spend every hour of the day watering.

1 The grandchildren playing in the garden

2 Sitting in the garden because the DGC are too small to leave unattended

3 The bullfinch. We have sparrows, dunnocks, tits, goldfinches, blackbirds and flipping pigeons and, when we first moved here, we had bull finches and chaffinches galore. After having seen none for about 10 years, the most glorious bullfinch pays us a visit most days.

Smiles - more than 3...

1) The excellent and persistently flowering 'firebird' penstemon started in May and still going strong.

2) The 24 peaches we harvested.

3) The DGC building tents & sneaking blueberries, tomatoes, peas for their 'snacks' served on leaf plates!

My patio at the front.
1sitting under my vine when the sun gets too hot
2the buzz of the bees in the lavender
3the peace and quiet

It truly has been a wonderful, momentous summer. I've absolutely lapped up the heat.

My best from our garden this year:

1. The wind playing in the tree fern fronds (we have 3 big, healthy tree ferns).
2. Our fantastic potato crop.
3. The flavour of proper sun-ripened tomatoes.

As an aside, we went to the newly opened kitchen garden at Hampton Court Palace yesterday, it is free to access and open to the public. They have replanted it from plans found, dating 1736 and it will eventually be fully restored. It fed everyone in the palace for 150 years. (Remarkable given the other thread about not enough food being in the UK).

1. The Blue Star Creeper that passes for lawn.
2. The buddleia - butterflies galore!
3. The swing seat, that overlooks the valley.

I have really tried this year to enjoy my garden, rather than worrying about it and spending lots of money. I have learned to love my mossy lawn, and the brown patches left by a friend's dog who came to stay for a few days. That dog loved lying in the shade, as long as I was in the garden with her, so I've probably spent much more time just relaxing in the garden than working in it. I have loved the broad beans, picked when tiny, and the mint, which combined with feta cheese was my lunchtime salad many a day.

1. Watching my grandson (aged 4) helping to harvest the fruit and veg. He must have eaten about thirty mange tout straight from the plant and then went into the fruit cage to pick (and eat a great many of) the blackberries. He loves to join us on the allotment and his mother recently bought a T-shirt for him that says 'Get off my allotment'.
2. The strawberries and soft fruit this year has been amazing.
3. The roses outside my back door that are deliciously fragrant.