Nothing is so beautiful as spring -
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush's eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.
A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden. -Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid's child, thy choice and worth the winning.
~ Spring by Gerard Manley Hopkins
April showers indeed bring May flowers, and May is possibly the most glorious of all the months of the floral year. Rose, Rhododendron, Clematis, Iris, Peony, Honeysuckly, Lily, and more; they all in turn burst forth in colored array, taking our breaths away as they revive our breath again with their sweet fragrances.
This sweet little rose is Cleotilde Soupert, a small creamy white-to-soft pink cabbage rose. It has 100 petals and a fine perfume. The rose pictured above is also Cleotilde. It has a hard time in humid weather (which we have), but it's worthwhile, for Cleotilde is like having living porcelain in the garden.

Yes, the Rhodie is really this brilliant! It's bright fuchsia color is simply stunning.