Thought you’d like to see some roses from this summer, taken on the Federal Way Garden Tour in July. Seattle may have a lot of cloudy, gray weather, but the summers are glorious.

Visit Flowers for Today for more blooms around the world. It has neat shadows, so I’m entering it in the Shadow Shot Sunday meme, too. It’s straight out of the camera, or SOOC. And you’ll find more brilliant color in Color Carnival.

I totally love the sunlight and shadow on these perfect blooms, so I am tagging this post my Best Post of the Week.

If you’ve arrived via a link or a search, you can find the complete blog at Sara’s Fave Photos, here or above. But try a new tag here, first. Maybe “orange”?

This huge old cedar tree is what I first loved about this house. It’s actually hard to take a good photo of a tree, especially such a big one. This photo is hot out of the camera, as the weather cleared up nicely this afternoon and I just shot it.

Enjoy more shadows at Shadow Shot Sunday, the Hey Harriet blog. Scenic Sunday has more endlessly varied scenery.

While you’re here, you might try a new tag or search “tree” for other photos you might like. Or the My Garden category? To get to the latest post here, always click on Sara’s Fave Photos, here or above.

All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. This is a succulent plant maybe a foot (35 cm) or so across that I found on a recent sunny day at the Volunteer Park Conservatory. So vigorous and strong looking!

Visit the Hey Harriet blog for more Shadow Sunday posts, and SOOC for more straight-out-of-the-camera shots. But before you go, be sure to try a new category or tag here. Always get back to the latest post easily by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos, here or above.

Here is a  magenta and white waterlily for your enjoyment, seen at Hendricks Garden in the Federal Way Garden Tour last month.

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday, Today’s Flowers and SOOC for more great photos. And try clicking on a tag like My Garden, perhaps, for a new photo selection. If you’ve gotten here via the permalink, you can find the latest photos always at Sara’s Fave Photos above.

These are from my Peace rosebush a few weeks ago. There are still blooms out there, but not in the full heady flush you get in July. Enjoy their vision of perfection.

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday for more interesting shadows, Today’s Flowers for more lovely blooms, Macro Monday for more wonderful close ups and Mellow Yellow Monday for more photos with a splash of yellow. If you’ve arrived via the permalink, you can find the latest posts at Sara’s Fave Photos. Don’t be shy; click it and see what’s new!

A shady deck on a sunny day is a fine thing. This place was as delightful to sit in as it looks. So much is said and implied by shadows!

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday for more perfect penumbras. And while you are here, try clicking on a new tag or category. Returning to the latest post is easy: just click on Sara’s Fave Photos, above.

This year the seed-started cosmos plants have done very well. The cool wet spring helped them to get established, especially since the slugs don’t seem to like them. Some of the plants had a real problem, like the petunias, but the cosmos all stood undevoured. Now they are beginning to take off. Don’t forget that they are good in bouquets, too!

Visit Macro Monday for more wonderful close ups of all kinds. Color Carnival has more bright colors. Mellow Yellow Monday thinks everything is better with a splash of yellow. Isn’t it? The Shadow is kind of neat, too. And this one is SOOC, or straight out of the camera.

Try a new link or category while you are here. Why not? The latest post is always at Sara’s Fave Photos.

I was browsing through my archives trying to create a slideshow of flowers for the garden club I belong to and found this image. Neat, isn’t it? But I have no idea what it’s called. Anyone?

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Color Carnival and Today’s Flowers for great sites in blogland. Browse around here while you’re already here, perhaps something like “sunset” or “rose.” And if you’ve landed here via the permalink, an easy way to the latest post is by Sara’s Fave Photos, above.

Today I went on the Federal Way (Washington) Garden Tour. It benefits the Federal Way Symphony and I got to see six of the nine gardens. Whew! Here’s a delightful water feature from an amazing hidden jungle in the Hendricks garden.

For more fascinating shadows seen all over the world, visit Shadow Shot Sunday. Or try Scenic Sunday, or perhaps SOOC (straight out of the camera) Sunday.

You might try a search for “shadows” or clicking on that tag while you’re here. Returning to the latest post is a click away, on Sara’s Fave Photos. Thanks for visiting!

In California, it is illegal to pick the orange poppies growing by the side of the road, as they are the beloved state flower. I heard you can’t even pick them in your garden, but that can’t be true. Here in Seattle, they grow very well also, maybe too well sometimes. They actually are great in bouquets. Clipping the long seedpods will extend the bloom quite a bit and help prevent way too many plants from appearing everywhere.

So, which view do you prefer? Leave a comment and let me know.

Visit Color Carnival for more brilliant color and Shadow Shot Sunday for more intriguing shadows. Both shots were straight out of the camera, or SOOC. And I like this post so much I’ve called it my Best Post of the Week.