There were lots of roses on the balcony when I got back from Canada last week, to my surprise for I gathered there had been a drought, with blazing sunshine. But the day before I returned it had rained, and there has been intermittent rain since, while I suppose the plants were well watered while I was away.

Most delightful of all were three blossoms on the rose bush in the only pot now on the balcony. I show them on the morning after I got back, with Lara in pensive mood, having come upstairs since she now thinks her puppies do not need constant attendance. And then, because this morning ritual is such a joy, feeding the fish with dogs in attendance and both rose and lotus blossoms, I show Benjy and Lara again with the roses the next day, in the last picture here.

The blossoms on the earth are temple flowers, blown down from the tree on the roof garden, which sadly seems denuded now. But I have not as yet been able to get up there, to check on that, and also the other plants, though I do see blossoms on the edge, roses and impatiens and bougainvillea.

Then there were bright red roses on the plant I had placed in the triangular basin next to the little pond. That has produced blossom after blossom since I first got it, after that basin had been fixed so that water would not stay at the bottom. Sadly none of these has been as large as the blossom on the plant when I first bought it.

The pink roses in the middle of the long bed in the east also continue prolific, and I show two blossoms there now, along with some buds. But before that I show a larger perfectly formed flower that was there the day before I left for Canada.

Pink and white and red are enough to go on with, but I see too that two of the orange plants have started to produce buds so I look forward to much colour over the next week or two.