When is a red hot poker not a red hot poker?

When it's yellow! I like the yellow shades best, I think.

Last night we had the first rain of the month and it was showery again this afternoon. Some of the perennials which have been standing upright have started to open out! Can't have everything and we did need the rain!

This yellow Kniphofia is one of three sitting in pots waiting for a suitable place in the border, and has just begun to flower - we have a good range of them and they flower over quite a long period. My absolute favourite is on its way to flowering and will be the subject of a Blip before very long! This one is 'Tetbury Torch' .

They're very successful here but appreciate a well-drained site. I've begun to plant them over a bucketful of pea gravel to avoid having their backsides in water all winter! Not a pleasant thought! I now do the same for agapanthus and other perennials which object to wet winters.

Susie is sitting on the cold frames pretending not to be interested!