A quick visit to the Visitor Center at the Arboretum in Seattle (they are now carrying my book, Flowers of Volunteer Park Conservatory, and might carry our new glass tile jewelry as well), and of course I need to see what’s pretty to photograph. Here’s one of a group of lovely hanging baskets outside the Visitor Center.

I’m participating at Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Flower Art Friday, Weekend Flowers, Outdoor Wednesday, and Ruby Tuesday 2. Please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog if you see only this one photo below. There are so many others to see here! The photo post directly below is particularly wonderful, if I do say so myself. Thanks for stopping by.

Asters are the “stars” of the late summer garden. I have some that need staking, and these lavender ones are much better behaved. Let’s hear it for perennials, back bigger and better each year.

Please visit Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Flower Art Friday, Weekend Flowers, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Macro Monday, My Romantic Home, and Mellow Yellow Monday. If there is only one photo here, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above. Thanks for visiting—come back soon!

Another view of a red rose in my garden today for your enjoyment.

Linking up at Pink Saturday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Flower Art Friday, Weekend Flowers, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Macro Monday, My Romantic Home, and Ruby Tuesday 2. Click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above if there is only one photo here. Thanks for visiting, and hope to see you again soon.

Since I fed my roses the nasty food they love so much, they have rewarded me with better color, bigger flowers, the works. I did add alfalfa meal, so maybe that’s why they look so good now. Late in the season, but I’ll take it! This deliciously dark red Oklahoma rose is one of my favorites. Isn’t the bubbly looking background fun? Just set that aperture wide and there you go!

This post is joining in Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Flower Art Friday, Weekend Flowers, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Macro Monday, My Romantic Home, and Ruby Tuesday 2. Click on Sara’s Fave Photos above if there is only one photo below so you’re sure of seeing the latest photos.

These pretty, late summer Japanese anemone flowers are easy to grow and do well in shade, plus they come back every year! I love perennials. At home I have some tall lavender ones, but these were photographed on an excursion to Whidbey Island, Washington.

Participating in Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Flower Art Friday, Flowers on Saturday, Weekend Flowers, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Macro Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Mellow Yellow Monday. Please click on Sara’s Fave Photos above if there is only one photo below to see the very latest here.

Seattle’s Volunteer Park has a spectacular and beautifully tended Dahlia Garden with hundreds of varieties, and now’s the time to visit. With the unusually sunny weather we’ve been having, gardens are so happy, even though more water is needed. It’s on the big lawn across from the Conservatory. If you can, get there while it’s still at its peak. I’ve added a photo of the garden sign so you can find it easily if you go there.

Check out Today’s Flowers, Pink Saturday, Floral Friday, Flower Art Friday, Flowers on Saturday, Weekend Flowers, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Scenic Sunday, Macro Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Mellow Yellow Monday and Ruby Tuesday 2. Please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the entire blog if there is only one image below. Thanks for visiting and come back soon, OK?

At the Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle the other day, the sun shining through the orchids was really wonderful. Those lights and darks really fascinate me. Sorry, but I have no idea of the name of this pretty.

I’m joining up at Today’s Flowers, Pink Saturday, Floral Friday, Flower Art Friday, Flowers on Saturday, Weekend Flowers, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Macro Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Mellow Yellow Monday and Ruby Tuesday 2. If there’s only one image below, be sure to click on Sara’s Fave Photos above to see the whole blog here. Thanks!

Well, the roses seem to really respond to that chemical fertilizer. I held off as long as I could and then gave in. Roses really thrill me and I’ll do pretty much anything to have blooms like this in my garden. Anything that doesn’t cost too much money, that is. Or spray. But I do water, feed, and deadhead. Isn’t it pretty?

I’m linking up at  Flower Art Friday, Flowers on Saturday, Weekend Flowers, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Floral Friday, My Romantic Home,  Pink Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, and Shadow Shot Sunday 2 . If there is only one photo below, please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog letters above to see the others. Maybe do a search for rose while you are here?

The flowers for sale at Pike Place Market in Seattle, all locally grown, are the most beautiful I have ever seen, anywhere. The only problem I have is that the photos I take are so intense that I have a real problem choosing one to show. A good problem to have.

Here are some zinnias and glads (gladiolus? gladioli?) for your enjoyment.

Joining up at Ruby Tuesday 2, Flower Art Friday, Flowers on Saturday, Weekend Flowers, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Floral Friday, and Mellow Yellow Monday. If there is only one photo below, please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog letters above to see the others.

There are so many kinds of sunflowers these days. I kind of like the old fashioned kind that makes seeds in the middle. This one didn’t grow too tall, but it certainly was doing its thing, seed-wise. A few days later, the birds and squirrels had poked out some of its hypnotic perfection, but so it goes.

Participating in My Romantic Home, Flower Art Friday, Flowers on Saturday, Weekend Flowers, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Floral Friday, and Mellow Yellow Monday. If there is only one photo below, please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog letters above. Or maybe do a search for sunflowers in the upper right?