Did you know that the “hydra” in the name of hydrangeas refers to water? Meaning, don’t let these dry out! Not soggy, of course, but not dry, either. And also, cuttings are super easy to root. When you prune them back, just poke a few of the cut stems into the shaded soil near the mother plant. Keep all moist and check back later and voila! New plants!

These lovely ones were in the Matonti garden on the Federal Way Symphony garden tour, actually in Tacoma. They had some fab hydrangeas there, for sure. Catch them next year!

Visit Thursday Challenge for more photos on the theme of “blue.” And you might try clicking that tag while you’re here, always easily returning to the latest post by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos above.

My ‘Oklahoma’ rosebush has the deepest red roses, which try as I might, I cannot photograph, or even Photoshop, into a closer approximation of reality. The actual color of the flowers is the deepest, darkest, richest, burgundy red, and almost black in the shadows. You’ll just have to imagine.

Visit Ruby Tuesday for more ruby redness around the world. And this is also a post for Macro Monday and Blue Monday. Is that sky blue enough? And I like this photo so much I’ve called it my Best Post of the Week.

If you’ve found this post from the permalink, getting to the latest photo post is easy. Just click on Sara’s Fave Photos above.

When we went shopping for roses last summer for the new bed, this one had no name but I could see it was pink and fragrant. Sold! Anyone know the name?

Visit Pink Saturday for more pretty pinkitude, Today’s Flower for all flowers and Macro Flowers Saturday for amazingly lovely flower close ups. You might try clicking on a new tag like “scenic” or “rose” while you are here. The latest posts can always be found at Sara’s Fave Photos.

This lovely lily is probably a ‘Stargazer’ lily, rubrum speciosa, taken on that Federal Way Symphony Garden Tour yesterday. I understand that all lilies like this used to point downwards, and growers managed to develop one whose blooms pointed upwards, thus “star gazer.” Great name, no?

Visit Today’s Flowers for more wonderful blossoms of all kinds, Macro Flowers Saturday and Macro Monday for close ups, Ruby Tuesday for wonderful reds and Color Carnival for brilliant color. Whew!

You might click on the “pink” or “red” tag at left or search for something new as long as you are here. Return to the latest post by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos.

Godetia is a very under-appreciated annual flower in the home garden. It’s super easy to grow, a great cutting flower, and reseeds well but not too well. Its only drawback, for some, is its lack of scent. But we forgive it that minor shortcoming because we love its crinkly petals in shades of lush red and pink and that neat starburst of buds on top.

This bouquet is from the Pike Place Market, the home of the most amazing (only) locally grown flowers. I love the way they mix and match the most unusual combinations. Here we also see sweetpeas on the right, a bit of stripey alstroemeria tucked in the middle, and peppermint for greenery!

Visit Pink Saturday for more pink visions of all kinds, and Color Carnival for more brilliant color. And you might try clicking on a tag like “pink” or “red” to see something new. Easy to return to the main page here; just click on Sara’s Fave Photos above.

The sun is finally here. This cosmos flower is just basking in it! Another perfect day tomorrow is predicted, and then showers again. Actually, it’s amazing how quickly the flower beds dry out. Our water bill will be way higher in July than up til now, that’s for sure.

Visit Thursday Challenge and view the entries for the theme Weather. Mine is sunny!

You might want to check out a tag or category here first, easily returning to the main page here by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos.

I like this photo very much and am putting it in the Best Post of the Week category.

I am very happy with this first real rose bouquet from my garden. The rosebushes were put in late last spring, so we couldn’t pick very much at all last summer, or at least not with any stem to speak of, to save the energy of the fledgling plants.

But after a year they are going pretty well, most of them—at least those that are not having real trouble with blackspot, mildew, and now I see critter holes near the roots of some of them. Sigh. My mom used to shrug and say, “The vicissitudes of gardening . . .” and what else can you say? That’s why we planted 18 rosebushes, so that I would be sure to be able to have a bouquet or two.

Happy Ruby Tuesday, all. See what the participants there have going on for the weekly celebration of rubiness. And you can always click on the Ruby Tuesday category in the sidebar to see some of my other photos showcasing the color red. Or try Color Carnival for more brilliant colors. Returning to the main blog is easy; just click on Sara’s Fave Photos.

Today’s visit to the flower vendors in Seattle’s Pike Place Market was fabulous, as usual. They have lilies (and sweetpeas) in magnificent quanties, combined in surprising and unique bouquet combinations as always. This one with a lily and a happy jumble of other garden flowers beats out any supermarket bunch any day.

Visit Macro Flowers Saturday for more flower close ups, and Color Carnival for more brilliant color. This one is straight out of the camera, or SOOC, too. And try a new tag or category here while you’re here, returning to the full blog at Sara’s Fave Photos as always.

At the Woodlawn Park Rose Garden the other day, some roses were just rioting in bloom. I didn’t get the names of all of those I photographed (bad Sara! I sometimes get too carried away with their gorgeousness) but here is a fine vision of pink floribunda roses for your enjoyment. If only the screen had a scratch ‘n’ sniff button!

Do visit Pink Saturday for more things pink. And you might try the Pink tag or search here, easily returning to the latest posts by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos.

This is also an entry for SOOC, or straight out of the camera, Scenic Sunday and Color Carnival. Have fun in blogland!

This was taken just a few minutes before the shot at the overlook below. You can see the dusky skies in the background. Such sweet pink tips on the blooms, no?

Visit Macro Flowers Saturday if you like flower closeups. There are some great ones there! You are welcome to browse around here first, if you like. Returning to the main blog page is easy; just click on Sara’s Fave Photos.