Friday, June 05, 2009

The smell of rain

It has just started raining, for the first time in around ten days. And, standing out in the shower, I can smell the aroma of rain on dry ground. It's not a smell you can describe but it's a smell that makes me remember running out to play once the summer rain had stopped when I was young.

Of course, I could have foreseen the rain - the paeony I bought last year is about to flower for the first time. Its huge, ripe buds are about to burst into a frothy confection of pink petals. Except, if the rain keeps up, all the buds will turn into is a damp ball of mush, looking like a tissue that's been through the washing machine.

7 comments:

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

I love the smell of rain. I agree it's a smell that can be described only by reference to itself. And I so know the feeling of watching that Peony bud swell, and then, the instant it opens - downpour.

Anonymous said...

I love the sound and the smell of a warm rain -- love walking in it too, if I've no particular destination. :)

Val said...

Oh yes, especially summer rain! I wish we could have some tonight! The sound of it through the open window would make my heart glow!

Helen/patientgardener said...

I'm desperate for it to rain. It keeps going dark but no rain.

chaiselongue said...

Yes, it's a lovely smell, rain on hot ground. We've had it here this evening too.

Bay Area Tendrils said...

Oh, yes, I still miss the too-few but enormously blowsy blooms of the one tree peony in my Chicago garden. I had no choice but to clip the blooms and bring them indoors or they'd have been destroyed by a downpour. The other peonies didn't suffer in quite the same way. Here in California, my husband was terribly overcharged for a bouquet of 6 from a tiny floral shop - an anniversary gift - not one of their closed buds ever opened :(

Joanne said...

At last the rain much needed we only had a few spots yesterday but more today.
Lovely post.