The bees were out and buzzing today. They love some of the flowers, and don’t care so much about others. This perennial blue bachelor button, also called Centaurea montana or Mountain bluet, is almost too vigorous, but what a fabulous, almost-purple color, and on such nice long stems for bouquets.

A bee busily working a perennial blue bachelor button flower

Linking up at Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, My Romantic Home, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Macro Monday, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. So glad you could drop by. How about trying a new tag or category, while you’re here? My Garden is a good category to browse, just as a suggestion.

Rhododendrons, or rhodies as we call them affectionately, bloom extremely well here in the Pacific Northwest. They reach their peak about now. If you live in the Seattle area, you can probably see ones as tall as houses, here and there. This old one is blooming right in front of my house. Lucky me!

Many shades of pink in this rhododendron blooming in the spring sunshine

Linking up at My Romantic Home, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Macro Monday, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Straight out of the Camera Sunday. I do appreciate your visit here. Browse around and see what you find.

These sweet, tiny, white bells are some of my very top-favorite flowers. Luckily, they thrive on the front (north) side of my house. A handful of them in a vase is a heady experience. The fragrance is sublime, and like a sweet dream. Can you tell I love these flowers? I really love this image of them and I’m calling it my Best Post of the Week.

Convallaria majalis, or lily of the valley, blooming in the garden

Do visit My Romantic Home, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Macro Monday, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Straight out of the Camera Sunday. Thanks so much for your visit here. Try a new tag or category as long as you’re here, perhaps?

This exquisite yellow and magenta pink phalaenopsis orchid was blooming in the Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle last time I was there. I love the warm colors and the exciting dots in the center. Come here, little pollinating insect!

Yellow and magenta moth orchid at the Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle

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I learned the fancy word for what a lilac flower is: a panicle. Seems like a nice, strong word for a flower with such a remarkable shape and fragrance. Unforgettable. The ones in my front yard are finally beginning to bloom. Thank heaven for the garden.

Double lilac flowers decorate the sky.

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I was at the Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle not too long ago and saw this rosette of a succulent in the Cactus House. Did you know they are having later hours for the summer? I’m so excited to hear that. Their new space with the tile floor is so beautiful (see below). Don’t you want to just sit there and read a book?

Rosette of hen-and-chicks sedum succulent at the Volunteer Park Conservatory

Seasonal House at the Volunteer Park Conservatory after remodel

Linking up this week at Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Macro Monday, Scenic Weekends, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday and Pink Saturday. Thank you so much for visiting!

These red and white striped tulips were in a vase on a desk. I need to have some of these in my garden, absolutely. They look so antique and so totally modern, both.

Red and white striped tulips bouquet

Participating at My Romantic Home, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, and Fishtail Cottage Wednesday. Thank you for visiting and please click around for some interesting photos here. Do download the “7 Secrets to Better Flower Photos” at the right, all simple things you can do for better photos of any kind, without fancy equipment. It’s not the camera!

The color of these primrose flowers is hard to photograph properly. It’s a wonderful blend of purple and magenta and red, with bright yellow centers to set it all off. And those healthy, crinkly leaves. I want some!

Purple, magenta and red primroses with their deeply textured leaves

Check out Outdoor Wednesday, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Ruby Tuesday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Monday Mellow Yellows and Macro Monday. Let’s try a new meme today: Floral Love. I appreciate your stopping by here so very much. Thanks!

The magnolias are gorgeous this year. This tree in our backyard is one of the many dotting the neighborhood right now. And the horses in the pasture adjoining our property just love the fallen petals. They even eat the blooms that they can reach off the tree! No harm seems to be done.

Pink Japanese magnolias against a sunny sky in springtime

Two horses graze magnolia blossoms on a sunny spring day

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These red fritillaria, or checkered tulips, decorating my garden this week just float my boat. Both this kind and the other more purple-and-cream color a few posts below are doing so well in my garden. I love things that just come up and bloom, all by themselves. Those are grape hyacinths in the background, also easy and fun, and so welcome in springtime.

Dark red checkered tulips, or fritillaria, in the garden

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