Roses in the sunshine may not have the tender delicacy they show in overcast, soft lighting, but they practically sing their joy in bright light. To me, anyway.

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday for more intriguing shadows and Scenic Sunday, and Today’s Flowers for great photos. If you’re here from another link, you might want to click on Sara’s Fave Photos above to see if there’s an even more current photo. And you might try the “rose” tag while you’re here. There are a quite a few rose photos, I promise!

Note: There’s now a little surprise if you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. Hope you like it!

I discovered a gem of a dahila garden in Seattle, in Volunteer Park. If you are leaving the Conservatory at the north end, it is in the big field in front of you to your left. There appear to be maybe a couple of hundred different dahlias blooming, all staked and named and perfectly groomed. I was in heaven. The sign says it is maintained by the Puget Sound Dahlia Association and I say Thank You to them.

Here’s a pretty pink one for Pink Saturday. Also for Macro Flowers Saturday. And visit Color Carnival, too!

While you are here, try clicking on the Dahlia tag for more lovely blooms. And if you’ve arrived by the permalink, you can always get to the latest post and the full blog by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos, above. Thanks for visiting!

Continuing a theme, here is the Sol Duc (pronounced Sole Duck) River in the background swishing over the rocks. The Sol Duc is within the Olympic National Park in Washington State, in the Pacific Northwest.

There’s an unknown wildflower in front. Anyone recognize it? [later: Clairz says it’s fireweed! Yay, Clairz!]

Check out Scenic Sunday and SOOC (straight-out-of-the-camera shots). Before you do, browse around here a bit. What appeals today?

You can always return to the latest post by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos, above.

Pike Place Market is in full dahlia mode. I’ve read that our cold and rainy spring (and summer!) has wreaked havoc on the dahlia tubers in the fields, but you’d never know that at the Market. I especially love the completely unique and unusual combinations in the bouquets. Notice the dark green kale leaves for greenery. Wonderful!

Visit Pink Saturday and Macro Flower Saturday for more great photos in blogland. If you’ve arrived via the permalink, be sure to click on Sara’s Fave Photos above to check for more recent posts. And while you’re here, try a search for Pike Place Market, perhaps.

We went to Sequim (pronounced “skwim”) WA and had a great few days of vacation, camping and doing the relaxation thing in the very warm weather. Notice the cloudless blue sky reflected in the window? Meeting some friends for lunch, the restaurant had a particularly fine windowbox. I envy people who can combine flowers so well. Well done, Oak Table Cafe! And the food was good, too.

Visit Ruby Tuesday for more reds of all kinds. And this shot is straight out of the camera, or SOOC, where you can see more like that. Color Carnival has more bright, vibrant colors. Weekend Reflections has more visual reflections, too.

Browse around here for something new today. Perhaps a tag called “rain” might refresh on a warm day? And if you’ve arrived via the permalink, do click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the latest posts.

Here’s a new flower, to me at least. When I was at the Volunteer Park Conservatory event last week, the head gardener, talented David Helgeson, showed me this unusual flower called Throatwort (trachelium caeruleum). I think it’s beautiful. That’s a maidenhair fern on the left, and coleus on the right. By the way, I totally love using google images for plant identification and info.

Visit Flowers For Today for more flowers from around the world, and SOOC for more straight-out-of-the-camera shots. As long as you are here, though, you might as well try a tag like “purple” or perhaps “bouquet.” If you’ve reached this post via the permalink, the latest post and full blog is always at Sara’s Fave Photos, above.

The Volunteer Park Conservatory had a great “Luau” event last evening, complete with behind-the-scenes tour. The flowers were ravishing as usual. That place is so magnificent. If you are in Seattle, you must go there. It’s even free, but they do accept donations. Their plants and flowers are not only perfectly at the peak of bloom, but they are arranged and displayed so beautifully and artistically. Hats off to them!

Macro Flowers Saturday, Color Carnival and Pink Saturday are entered today.

Try a search for “lily” while you are here. Why not? The latest post always lives at Sara’s Fave Photos above.

This lovely scene is in Volunteer Park in Seattle on a recent sunny day. I love looking out at a sunshiny lawn from under a shady tree.

The Thursday Challenge this week is the theme of Outdoors. Do visit Scenic Sunday as well.

While you’re here, you might try clicking on a tag of “green” or “sky” to see what comes up. And you can always see the latest post here by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos.

Woodland Park Rose Garden in Seattle is a delightful place. I’ve got to go back there for another visit soon. So many roses, such charming vistas. A delightful way to spend a couple of hours, and it’s free!

Visit Watery Wednesday for more water photos of all kinds, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera shots) and Weekend Reflections for the most intriguing reflections. Try clicking on one of those tags here for more of the same, if you have time. Return to the latest post by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos.

This photo holds up very well for me. I’ve tagged it Best Post of the Week.

The roses look good now. The challenges of the awful black spot and mildew that the endless wet weather created are mostly gone. I try to keep the fallen leaves and petals off the ground, so that means deadheading when the blooms start to get loose, before the petals fall. What a wonderful excuse to wander among the roses, clippers and bucket in hand, happily peering into the heart of each rose and gathering the spent ones. A pleasure, not a chore, to me.

Visit Ruby Tuesday for more ruby redness. And click on a new tag or category while you are here, you hear? The latest post can always be found at Sara’s Fave Photos, above.