Just walking' in the rain...

There's nothing quite like walking in the rain when warm and dry isn't so far away. And in the downpour, the colours of the Japanese Maples and Acers at Westonbirt Arboretum turn from fantastic and exotic to simply sublime. 

The leaf strew floor beneath the slowing balding trees takes on a carpet like feel, as all the colour runs to the bottom of the picture, like a forgotten watercolour left out in the storm...

And the crowds seem not to visit on rainy days... leaving us to stroll through the vibrant colours like it's our own private garden - although the last private owner, Robert Halford, would never have seen it in its maturity.

And eventually, yet more photos will appear in the flickr album. :-)