Well, in this case a grass snake I must have disturbed while cutting down some of the old hollyhocks. I usually come across one most years, and think I’m always more surprised to see it that it is me. This one made a quick exit from wherever it had been sunning itself. The usual place I see them is by my big compost pile where they often lay eggs due to the heat.
There’s always some snake in the grass
British Hollyhocks and Cosmos Bipinnatus 