Some rain-soaked lovelies

I went for a quick walk in the back garden with camera in hand and found some surprises.

'Indy Snowfall' just starting to bloom with hopefully many more to follow.

Mr. Spider (don't know his real name) lounging and/or lying in wait on 'Souv de la Malmaison'

Rain lilies a little beaten down but still beautiful

'Borderer' getting ready again

'Polonaise' full of new growth and flower buds

'Marchesa Bocella' and benefactor - The rose is a Damask Perpetual from 1842.

Stop the world!  'Jaune Desprez' has her first flower!!  A Noisette climber from 1830 planted here in September, 2009 and said to be slow to get going.  I'll say!

Let me catch my breath! A blooming Foxglove! Quite late but I'm not complaining. Can you see the brown stump of the central stalk courtesy of the stupid  squirrel(s)?

Curly flower stems? The chewed-off stalk is left of center above the flower.

One of my lupines still green and living but small and not a flower in sight.

This is several plants of  'Periwinkle' aka Vinca, a little bowled over by the downpour. Please note that it is not growing in the amended and watered bed but in the 1" deep gravel over weedcloth and only rooted above the cloth. When standing upright, it's almost 2' tall. It reseeds and gets big in this spot every year, blocking the path but that's OK. It used to reseed all over the back garden but not since all the beds are under irrigation. I think it's beautiful, and seedlings are still popping up elsewhere - in the gravel. It has died quickly when I planted it in a bed.

Remember my former eyesore? No longer an eyesore but not blooming either. Maybe 'Penny Mac' doesn't bloom until the second year?

'Duchesse de Brabant' - a Tea rose from 1857

'Blush Noisette' bearing beautiful buds. She's a Noisette from 1814.

 Between the rain and all these surprises I'm just plain flabbergasted but not exactly speechless.