The ground around here is saturated, ashdad. It has never had chance to dry out in the last 18 months and every severe rainfall produces flash flooding. Our house is pretty safe as we are well above the river level but the garden doesn't have much drainage and the soil is clay so it just sits on top and takes ages to sink in. I hope we won't have too much more rain before we have some sunny weather - some people in this area still aren't back in their homes since the floods last July!