Dahlias are loving the long, warm summer that Seattle is enjoying so much this year.

Red-and-yellow and purple dahlias in early fall sunshine

Linking up with Our World Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Outdoor Wednesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Macro Monday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, NF Catching the Light Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, and Saturday Show Off. Please visit here again soon.

California poppies (the State Flower of California) are so beautiful in their simplicity. Very pretty and dependable in the garden, but reseed almost too easily. I deadhead to keep them from taking over.

Orange California poppies in my Seattle garden

Joining up with Skywatch Friday, Our World Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Outdoor Wednesday, Garden Party Thursday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, NF Catching the Light Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you so much for your visit here and do click on Sara’s Fave Photos above if only one photo is visible here.

Volunteer Park in Seattle has a dahlia garden, very well maintained by the local Dahlia Society. The other day the sun was shining, and I was happy to see this.

Shades of pink, orange and yellow in a dahlia blossom close up

Joining up with Our World Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Outdoor Wednesday, Garden Party Thursday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, NF Catching the Light Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Pink Saturday, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you for your visit here and please come back soon.

Today was the last day that Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory was open to visitors so that the long-awaited restoration project can be completed. Look for the grand re-opening in early December.

A beautiful last day for the orchids. Conservatory is re-opening in December 2014

Joining Skywatch Friday, Our World Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Garden Party Thursday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Pink Saturday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Weekend Reflections, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for your visit here first.

They predicted rain, quite a bit, so I went out and cut the fully open roses. What a fine idea I had.

Garden roses in lavender and shades of pink and red, in a late summer bouquet

Linking to Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you for your visit here first!

Combine perfect flowers, perfect weather, and a blue sky, in the late afternoon sunlight…

Lavender-pink cosmos reaches to the sunny blue sky

Participating in Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Skywatch Friday, Pink Saturday, Outdoor Wednesday, Our World Tuesday, Scenic Weekends, NF Catching the Light Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Thursday Challenge (Blue), My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. I appreciate your visiting here and please—come back soon. If you’d like some free, easy tips for taking better photos of any kind, download at the sidebar on the right.

A recent visit to Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory had pretty blue salvia, a lovely annual, planted in the beds in front.

Purple-blue salvia spike flowers, with a touch of white

Linking to I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. While you are here, try a new tag or category at the right. Thanks for visiting here and please come back very soon.

Not everyone knows that if you don’t pick an artichoke when it’s closed up nice and tight, it will open to a beautiful bluish-purple flower.

Artichoke plant blossoms

So great to have you visit; thanks so much!

Walking in West Seattle recently, saw these baskets of an unusual kind of begonia. Pretty showy, I think.

Orange-red begonias decorate a lamppost in West Seattle

I do appreciate your visit here and hope to see you again very soon.

At a friend’s lovely home. Notice the reflection of the round window opposite the picture on the wall!

White hydrangeas in a vase and a stargazer lily blossom on a blue tablecloth

Participating in Weekend Reflections, Pink Saturday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Our World Tuesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, NF Catching the Light Monday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for visiting here and please come back soon.