I wouldn't expect much from the shrubby plants you list (Escallonia, Buddleia) for a couple of years.

I've been trying to grow Alchemilla for several years and have yet to get much in the way of flowers from them - same as you.

My reference recommends feeding Liriope in spring to promote flowering which suggests that they may need some encouragement.

I haven't grown red hot pokers, but you could expect "atypical coloured flowerers" to be less vigorous than the bog-standard ones.

And the dry spring probably didn't help either. I'd feed all of these in spring, keep them watered if necessary and see what happens.

My alchemilla flowers prolifically in a poor dry shady bed, never watered - perhaps you are being too kind to it.