I managed to pop in on the Tuesday before last minute packing, it was worth the trip although traffic was horrendous (don't get me started on the motorway expansion plans!) but I purchased a beauty of a carypoteris 'Dark Knight' shrub, flowers August-September. The bees go wild for it. Haha! Nothing discreet about me digging seedlings from public spaces in the UK so won't stop over here
You can't beat the greenness of the UK. They've had 4 months without rain until yesterday, reminded me of your situation in Essex. I smiled to myself