Seattle has had rain, and lots of it. We’re normally pretty damp, but this is WET.

Rain-drenched red rhododendron flower

Linking up to Water World Wednesday, Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Garden Party Thursday, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for your visit here, and please come back soon.

A local spot that has live music for dancing most nights, CC’s in Burien, had an incredible bouquet of pink tree peonies on the bar. Each blossom was as big as my head!

Large pink tree peony in a bouquet graces CC’s Lounge in Burien, Washington

Participating at Pink Saturday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Garden Party Thursday, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. You might try a new tag or category while you are here, or search in the upper right sidebar for a favorite flower to see what comes up.

A friend sent me one of the prettiest birthday bouquets I’ve ever had. I just know the florist was told “make it fragrant,” using lavender roses and purple and lavender stock! What a great combination, and such a festive gift.

Purple and lavender stock, and heavenly lavender roses, in a perfect florist bouquet

More wonderful images at Garden Party Thursday, Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. You might try a new tag or category while you are here. How about “rose” in the tag cloud at right?

I was lucky enough to receive several gorgeous bouquets for my birthday last week. These white and lavender lilacs with their soft shadows were a show-stopper.

Close up of single-petaled lilacs in a bouquet, in lavender and white

You might check out the images at Garden Party Thursday, Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, NF Catching the Light Monday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you very much for your visit here today; much appreciated.

The tulips are almost done, but here’s a scenic tulip field with a bit of reflection for your viewing pleasure:

Red tulips reflected in a puddle in the Skagit Valley April tulip festival

Joining up with Blue Monday, Skywatch Friday, Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, Water World Wednesday, Weekend Reflections, and Saturday Show Off. Don’t forget to click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog curly letters above to see the latest pretty pictures here.

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.

From my recent visit to the Skagit tulips. The trunks of the trees were at least 6 or 8 feet (2-3 meters) in diameter. They were OLD.

Red and pink tulips under sunshine and clouds in Mt. Vernon, WA

Connecting with Skywatch Friday, Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, NF Catching the Light Monday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Thursday Challenge (Tranquil), Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for your visit and try a search for tulips in the search field, why don’t you?

This is a season of floral abundance, that’s for sure. This graceful, deep-pink-and-white Japanese magnolia is blooming in my backyard today. The flowers are about as big as my hand.

Pink and white Japanese magnolia bloom in Seattle in April

Connecting to I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Pink Saturday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. If only one image is visible here, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog. Hurry back soon.

As a brief break from tulips, I thought I’d show you a new tree (to me), a star magnolia. The pretty white flowers were very fragrant, and 2 or 3 inches wide (5-8 cm). It was growing in a sweet little arboretum in Everett, WA, the Evergreen Arboretum & Gardens.

Fragrant white Star Magnolia blooms in April in Everett, WA

They also had a lovely and fragrant viburnum tree of some kind. Looking on google images for the name of this plant, I find Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’, or Korean spice viburnum, which looks very similar, except that the plant I saw seemed to be a tree, or maybe it was just a very mature shrub. But I want one.

Fragrant viburnum blooms in April in Everett, WA

Check out I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Blue Monday, Skywatch Friday, Ein Stück Himmel, Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Pink Saturday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, NF Catching the Light Monday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, and Saturday Show Off. If only two images are here, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the rest. Come back soon, you hear?