This is the last time that I am going to plant delphiniums and lupins. For the third time in as many years, these have been decimated by these slimy creatures; this is despite the judicious use of pet friendly slug pellets, copper rings, grit and nematodes. 
From now on I will concentrate on the plants that have their own inbuilt defence system. The papaver orientale laughs in the face of these slippy customers, brushing them off with its coarse bristly leaves, and the alliums with their distinctive oniony scent are not plat du jour in the snail world.My roses escape unscathed too, with their dagger like, thorny stems which quite happily catch and climb towards the skies. These are performing brilliantly this year. Souvenir Docteur du Jardin and the William Lobb deep pink/lilac rose, both in their third year have many buds and my Seagull rambler has really found its feet in its new spot, and i hope that the recently planted Vichenbleu will do the same in a few years.
I have planted around 200 alliums in this small sized plot, ranging from the dazzling firework Schuberti, elegant Mount Everest, Purple Sensation and my favourite Chistophii with hundreds of starry flowers per bloom. I always get a bulk order from Devines Nursery who display these magnificent blooms at the Chelsea Flower Show every year.
My shady corner, with Japanese ferns, wild garlic and our own native hellebore happily grows without any critters nibbling its leaves. Whilst the hostas, planted deep in a gravel strewn pot, and perched up high at the base of a tree fern seems free from snail damage at the moment. I will keep up my regular snail raids to keep these fighting fit, but I'm pretty sure I know who will win this battle, and it won't be me.
Any good recipes for snails anyone?
