A rip-roaring thunderstorm blew through early on a recent morning—not the pitter patter of rain that we in the U.S. declare “good sleeping weather,” but thunder, lightning and high winds.  My husband said it rained “hard and steady” for three hours. Whilst this is very common in the U.S. and I’ve prayed against many such storms, thunderstorms are fairly rare in England.  Probably people would say that it simply doesn’t get hot enough—the day before, it did, especially in a house that’s built to hold heat.

Thankfully, my garden plants weren’t beaten down by the hard rain and seemed to benefit.  Though it had rained a couple of days before, the sun had already parched my container garden.  Even sun-loving plants like sunflowers were drooping since their large leaves transpire water more quickly. In the morning though, everything looked happier.

But now it rains nearly all day, nearly every day.  After a recent trip to Spain, I felt my newly opening hydrangeas were pale in comparison to the deep, rich colours I saw in that rainy region of Europe. Rain was apparently what mine needed since they’re now blooming in (at least) two wonderfully deep colours of purple.