Sangrita Sombrero

A stunning Echinacea with vibrant orange-red flowers bought to liven up the autumn garden (this is what happens when both Pete and I go to Waitrose!). If you look closely you'll see that the flowers are wet - it finally rained in Peterborough!

Within a few minutes of the rain starting I saw four frogs leaping across the patio! And tonight we had to chase one out of the house! Our pond has been a haven for them. On recent evenings we've been eating outside at a picnic table next to the pond and have spotted up to a dozen sitting on the edge waiting for it to become cool and dark enough to start hunting. I briefly toured the garden after dark in the rain to see what was about - so many snails on the patio and grass, rapidly emerging from aestivation as soon as the weather changed. 

The rain has not been too torrential here, so there's a chance that it will actually soak into the ground where it's so desperately needed.