Sorry for all the flower macros, but so much is blooming now! Here’s a flower I don’t recognize. It was 2 or so inches wide (4-7 cm.) blooming on a large hedge near Alki beach (near Seattle) in May, so it’s not Japanese anemone. Perhaps some kind of hibiscus? I love the delicacy of the folds in the petals. Update: It is a Rockrose (cistus laurifolius).

White single flower with orange and yellow center has creased petals

Joining to Reconnect With Nature Wednesday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Garden Party Thursday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you so much for your visit here first!

This red rose bud (probably ‘Don Juan”) is my first rose of the season. This particular rosebush is grown from a cutting I took at our last house five years ago, and THAT rosebush was from a cutting that a friend rooted for me when I still lived in California. It’s intensely fragrant. Happy rose season to all my friends in the Northern Hemisphere!

Red ‘Don Juan’ rose on own roots blooms in Seattle in May

Joining up at  I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Blue Monday, Skywatch Friday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday,Garden Party Thursday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. I appreciate your visit here, and come back soon!

Just a few short weeks ago, the Japanese magnolia in my backyard was in bloom. This photo is one of my very top faves and I am calling it my weekly Top Shot.

Pink and white Japanese magnolia blossom, up close

Participating in Pink Saturday, Garden Party Thursday, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday,  My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Try a new tag or category while you are here, perhaps?

Many people love pansies, and I am one of them.

Purple pansy with yellow center and dark lines

Other neat photos at Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you very much for your visit here today.

In the break we had from rain a couple of days ago, I went out with my dry paintbrush and pollinated my two little fruit trees. (“Make like a bee!”) I am lucky enough to have a dwarf cherry tree with multiple grafts on it of different varieties. However, even though it is “self-fertile,” all that means is that it doesn’t need another variety to pollinate. It still needs some pollen to move around for the fruit to set. So out I go, on a sunny day, with my soft, dry paintbrush, and gently brush the blossoms. I have found it makes a big difference. Use this technique on tomato plants, too.

Fruiting cherry tree blooms in backyard orchard

Linking to Blue Monday, Skywatch Friday, Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, NF Catching the Light Monday,  Straight out of the Camera Sunday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. If you’re a macro fan, try clicking on the tag “close up” in the tag cloud at right.

Last week it was sunny, briefly (pouring right now), and the tulips in my front yard put on a show.

Macro of red and yellow tulip center lit by sunshine

Joining up with Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, NF Catching the Light Monday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. If you’re a macro fan, try clicking on the tag “close up” in the tag cloud at right.

Another tulip in my front yard.

Simple yellow tulip close up in the garden

Visit I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Wordless Wednesday, Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, My Romantic Home, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, NF Catching the Light Monday, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you so much for visiting, and please come back soon. Click on Sara’s Fave Photos above if there is only one photo here.

Grape hyacinths, or muscari, are stars of the early spring garden, to my mind. I think they spread nicely and their blast of brilliant blue color is so welcome! This fall I really must plant more daffodils so the display next spring will be even more exciting.

Grape hyacinths, or muscari, bloom in the early spring garden

Participating in Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Blue Monday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. If there is only one photo here, please click on the curly letters above for Sara’s Fave Photos Blog to see a few more. Thanks!

A dear friend brought some orange roses. Just a bouquet from the store, but still so lovely on my kitchen table, in the soft, spring afternoon light. I love this image and am calling it my weekly Top Shot.

Peachy orange florist rose, so pretty in a bouquet

Linking up to Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Macro Monday, Pink Saturday, NF Catching the Light Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, I Heart Macro Saturday, My Romantic Home and Saturday Show Off. If you’d like to see some recent photos here, please click on the curly letters of Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above.

Taking a peek at the other side of the year, this orange cosmos flower bloomed in a friend’s garden in September. I’ve grown them myself, and they are easy from seed. Try some this year!

Bright orange cosmos flowers (about 2″ or 5 cm) bloom into the late summer

Connecting with Wordless Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Macro Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, I Heart Macro Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, My Romantic Home and Saturday Show Off. Thank you for visiting Sara’s Fave Photos Blog and please come back soon!