Seattle’s Volunteer Park has a spectacular and beautifully tended Dahlia Garden with hundreds of varieties, and now’s the time to visit. With the unusually sunny weather we’ve been having, gardens are so happy, even though more water is needed. It’s on the big lawn across from the Conservatory. If you can, get there while it’s still at its peak. I’ve added a photo of the garden sign so you can find it easily if you go there.
At the Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle the other day, the sun shining through the orchids was really wonderful. Those lights and darks really fascinate me. Sorry, but I have no idea of the name of this pretty.
Well, the roses seem to really respond to that chemical fertilizer. I held off as long as I could and then gave in. Roses really thrill me and I’ll do pretty much anything to have blooms like this in my garden. Anything that doesn’t cost too much money, that is. Or spray. But I do water, feed, and deadhead. Isn’t it pretty?
The flowers for sale at Pike Place Market in Seattle, all locally grown, are the most beautiful I have ever seen, anywhere. The only problem I have is that the photos I take are so intense that I have a real problem choosing one to show. A good problem to have.
Here are some zinnias and glads (gladiolus? gladioli?) for your enjoyment.
We were invited to a fabulous home and garden for a party. Our hosts grew these lilies themselves, and there were more bouquets like this, too. Incredible.
One of the members of our local Garden Club does teas so very well. Her deck is just heaven on earth on a lovely summer day. Yesterday she put on one of her famous teas for us, and dressed the tables up so prettily with mini-bouquets in tiny teapots. I love this idea and must get some small teapots to do it, too.
This is a new flower for me. I was admiring a huge shrub in a beautiful garden in Coupeville, WA, when the owner came out and chatted with us. To me, this lavatera looks like it is related to hollyhock. I wish I had the space to grow this, as it looked about 6 feet (2 meters) tall and wide, and she said it was four years old, and you cut it to the ground each winter. What a stunner!
Close to the water at Bowman Bay, part of Deception Pass State Park in the Pacific Northwest, were growing these pink flowers, which I’m pretty sure are in the thistle family. They were about waist high. In the background is the pier into the bay, a lovely stroll out towards even more beautiful views.
We went camping. A short trip filled with fabulous weather, pouring rain, and absolutely gorgeous scenic views. Deception Pass State Park may be a bit noisy with the jets from a naval base thundering overhead, but it was so very lovely, I forgave the noise. That said, I did wait quite a while for the silence I wanted as a background for this very short video of the waves lapping the shore at Bowman Bay. We camped only a few hundred feet from this shore. Lucky us!
