Rain!

Today we finally had rain - the first for at least a month, a really good soaking and my first rose is out - Zepherine Drouhin.   The Clematis Montana hasn't so many flowers this year although the second cutting from my Mum's which is now trailing about over the old dead cherry tree trunk is doing well and its flowers seem to be scented - a delicious soft powdery sweetness, very faint.

Almost all of the tulips are finished and I am trying to decide whether to just dig them up and give them away or try and sort them out and keep them.   The first batch of dahlias have come on so well they really need planting out!

Not a lot of colour just now - the most cheerful things are the first batch of alliums, the common peony and the many-coloured aquilegia which never disappoint.

Hoping for more rain tonight!