Some roses from my garden, with a few stems of lavender, on the first day of summer. The lavender is at the perfect stage for drying, before the individual florets have opened, but it works well in a bouquet, too. The peach one is Carding Mill, a David Austin rose.

Roses from the garden, under the cedar tree

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Happy Solstice! May your days be bright always.

Double Delight rose sends its love to the sun

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We visited Woodland Park Rose Garden in Seattle yesterday, in perfect weather. I need more pink roses in my life.

A planting of pink roses in Woodland Park Rose Garden

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Smelling like grape soda, these irises in a friend’s garden were a spring delight. The dark purple color of the lower petals is the finest velvet.

Colorful iris flowers in a spring garden

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Yesterday Seattle had just incredibly gorgeous weather: delightfully warm, sunny, and calm. Did I mention warm and sunny? It has been so very cold and gray this year, so I treasure these rare bursts of heaven. The irises are gearing up.

My garden and part of my neighbor’s. Bluebells and forget-me-nots, plus irises to come.

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I got to visit Seattle’s beloved Volunteer Park Conservatory again after a very long absence. It was as thrilling as ever. This palm leaf overhead was at least five feet wide!

Giant leaf of a palm at the Volunteer Park Conservatory in the Palm House

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Simple flowers can be the best.

Bright, school-bus-yellow calendula in my garden, joyful in early spring

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A friend has a good hellebore collection in her charming garden. Even with the cold weather, they bloom so prettily in late winter and early spring.

Nodding hellebore blooms with purple veining and edges in a PNW sun break

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The weather may still be wintry here in Seattle this year, but those daffodils never cease to thrill.

Sun and warmth are promised!

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This is what’s commonly called a Christmas cactus, but it’s really a Thanksgiving cactus, or schlumbergera truncata, not a regular cactus. This year, this one is acting more like a Valentine’s Day cactus! When growing them, treat them more like a regular houseplant and don’t let them get super dry, before you soak the soil.

Such showy, iridescent, magenta and white flowers, on this Thanksgiving cactus in bloom.

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