My front yard has roses and lavender. Life is good.

Red roses and lavender in the late afternoon sun

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For some reason, lavender does VERY well in my garden, even bestowing little volunteer plants. I have the munstead type and a pink one, which is even more vigorous. Garden tip: For drying, pick the flowers when they are still closed up, like the ones below. Just a loose bunch of stems wrapped with twine and hung upside down on a nail will do it.

Fragrant lavender blooms in late June in Seattle

Linking to Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Garden Party Thursday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. If you see only one photo here, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above. Thanks!

Sweet peas are some of the more challenging flowers to photograph. In person they are delicate, graceful and charming, but most of my photos fail to show them to advantage. Maybe next time.

Magenta and purple sweet peas climb a fence in my garden

Joining up with Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Garden Party Thursday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Your visit here is much appreciated. If you see only one photo, click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see a few more.

I have been posting quite a few flower macros lately, but feel compelled to show you this one, taken just a couple of hours ago, showing my Double Delight rose incandescently reaching to the sun on the longest day of the year. Here in cloudy Seattle we appreciate the sun, perhaps more than other places. Happy Solstice and Happy Summer! I really love this image and I am calling it my weekly Top Shot.

Macro of Double Delight rose in the garden

Participating in Pink Saturday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Garden Party Thursday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you for visiting here and please return soon.

Found a picture that my brother took last year at this time of me in my garden.

Photoblogger Sara at her patio garden, June 2013

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I saw this honeysuckle vine growing and blooming in a vacant property, in a lot of shade. I realized that it must be some tough plant, and took two small pieces home, and one rooted. Now this is blooming on the north side of my house. I really appreciate plants that flower in full shade, and it’s fragrant to boot!

Pink and yellow honeysuckle vine blooms in the shade

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Sometimes the rain can create much beauty.

Raindrops on a pink rose and its leaf

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It rained yesterday and it was gentle enough to just bejewel the roses.

Peace rose with water droplets

Joining up with Pink Saturday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Water World Wednesday, Garden Party Thursday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. I very much appreciate your visit here today.

Today is my hubby’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Rick!

Multi-colored roses and a peony from our garden in a birthday bouquet

Participating in Thursday Challenge (Bright Colors), Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Monday Mellow Yellows, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Garden Party Thursday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Click on curly letters above to see latest pretty pictures here. Thank you for your visit here, very, very much. See you back soon!

Another image from my recent visit to the South Seattle College Arboretum (see the posts below), taken near the Alki Cafe (surprisingly delicious food). Mountain laurel certainly seems related to rhododendron, no?

Red and pink mountain laurel

Linking to Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Reconnect With Nature Wednesday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Garden Party Thursday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you for your visit here, very, very much.