Leeks are remarkable plants in the garden. The first photo is the bud enclosed in its casing, with several inches of a green spike on top, looking like an alien hairdo. Below that is the ripe casing falling away, and the buds of the flowers showing themselves. They are at about eye level for me, so a bunch of them make quite an otherworldly show.

Leek flower still in its casing in the garden

Leek flower (about 2″ or 5 cm) with unopened buds, emerging from its papery casing

Joining NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Garden Party Thursday, Thursday Challenge (Flowers), My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. I appreciate your visit here and hope to see you again soon.

For some reason, lavender does VERY well in my garden, even bestowing little volunteer plants. I have the munstead type and a pink one, which is even more vigorous. Garden tip: For drying, pick the flowers when they are still closed up, like the ones below. Just a loose bunch of stems wrapped with twine and hung upside down on a nail will do it.

Fragrant lavender blooms in late June in Seattle

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Found a picture that my brother took last year at this time of me in my garden.

Photoblogger Sara at her patio garden, June 2013

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Another image from my recent visit to the South Seattle College Arboretum (see the posts below), taken near the Alki Cafe (surprisingly delicious food). Mountain laurel certainly seems related to rhododendron, no?

Red and pink mountain laurel

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These bell-shaped campanula flowers have come back strongly this year. They are a bit over knee height, so they really make a nice show in the garden.

Bluish purple campanula flowers bloom in my Seattle garden in early June

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These hydrangea leaves make such beautiful patterns in the sunlight.

Hydrangea leaves with saw toothed edges and strong vein patterns in the sunshine

Linking to NF Abstract Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Our World Tuesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, NF Catching the Light Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Garden Party Thursday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. If only one photo is visible, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog to see the rest, or at least a few of the most recent ones. Thanks!

The sunshine got here. The patio plants are so happy. Those purple puffs in back are chive flowers.

Spring sunshine on some potted plants on the patio

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My sister was in the south of France recently and took this photo of the blood-red poppies.

Red, red poppies in a field in the south of France

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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

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Seattle is glorious on a sunny April day:

Seattle seen from the soon-to-be-demolished viaduct

Visit Blue Monday, 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,  and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for your visit here and please come back soon.