Got Rain?

Next in the tool series is this rain barrel on the south corner of my house. there is an identical one on the west corner but it is not working properly right now.
This is the very first tool purchase I made before I moved to this house. I just wanted to be able to water without raising the paid water bill. I had no idea that #1 the house sits on a (mostly) filled in bog and #2 this is a floodplain not a drought area! But there have been a few hot summers when I have drawn the barrels down to their last third of water.
It is hand to have the hose right there so I can fill buckets for watering or fertilizing the flowers and vegetables that grown out on the south side... no dragging a hose out to the spot.
Anyway, I am glad for these rain collectors... especially today when after this was taken intermittent showers have gone on all day. It will overflow from the top where you see the "v" shape.
Anyone else use rain barrels?
Oh, and what's there growing in the slightly fuzzy background?
yellow "Sundrops". white "Feverfew" and a tall rosa glauca shrub.