Waterlily in the Rain

Planning my usual Friday journey to Mum's detour, I'd booked myself into the National Trust's Sheffield Park and Gardens.  However, waking up to torrential rain this morning I was having second thoughts! In the end though, I took a chance ... and I do have "wet weather" gear. 

Well, I had a lovely relaxing trip. Sure it was raining most of the day, but it was relatively light and the big benefit was that I virtually had the gardens to myself, and the rain was bringing out the smells and colours of the gardens.

At this time of year the site holds its Waterlily Festival to celebrate the waterlilies which cover the ponds. As with most things this year, they are a little slow to get flowering, but enough for me to get my Flower Friday shot.  The extra shows some orchids were growing in abundance in the long grass around the estate.