The peonies are beginning to bloom! I am so excited. Even only halfway open the perfume is astonishing.

Almost open pink peony

Connecting to Through My Lens Monday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, and Your Moment Sunday. Thanks so much for visiting here, and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

A quick flash of sun against a dark rainy sky, that’s what I love about spring garden photos. The pink dogwood to the right is just in bud, but the Japanese magnolia is in full bloom.

Japanese magnolia tree blooms in a Seattle sunbreak

Linking to Through My Lens Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Skywatch Friday, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Your Moment Sunday. Thanks so much for visiting here, and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

I love this little cutie, and it blooms in the spring for me, even though there’s not a whole lot of sun for it here in Seattle, even in my south window. But be careful! Each flower is about a centimeter across, less than half an inch. The hairy stuff helps protect it from sun and water evaporation.

Fish hook cactus (ferocactus latispinus) blooming, with more buds

Connecting with Through My Lens Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, and Pink Saturday. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Someone sent me the most wonderful flowers as a get-well bouquet. I am beyond thrilled. It will help speed recovery for sure!

Orchids and roses in a charming bouquet, for me!

Linking up with Through My Lens Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

From a few years ago, my friend Cindy’s deck garden.

Cindy’s deck in August

Brugmansia

Connecting with Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

From the other side of the year, a very frilly peony flower in my garden.

Pink and white peony blossom in the June garden

Linking to  Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

I used to call this a Christmas cactus but I learned that the leaves with the points are Thanksgiving cactuses (or cacti), and there are also Easter cactuses. But it’s not even Halloween yet!

My Thanksgiving cactus is blooming happily in October

Also linking to Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Garden Affair Saturday, and Pink Saturday. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Not this year’s roses, but picked exactly at this time of year. Every year I reward myself with an autumn bouquet.

Mixed roses in a glass vase, an October symphony

Connecting with Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Garden Affair Saturday, and Pink Saturday. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

When the petals of your hydrangea flowers get a little like crepe paper, they dry very well. Put in a vase with a half inch of water. By the time the water evaporates, the flowers will be dried enough to last and last.

Colors of mauve, purple and soft blue appear as the blue flowers mature and get ready to dry.

Also on Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Skywatch Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Garden Affair Saturday, and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

I hate cutting my roses since I can see the rose bed from the house and they look so lovely out there, blooming for me and any passers-by. But I had to pick them ahead of the big rain.

Garden roses in bouquets, with late lavender and smoke bush leaves

Also on Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Garden Affair Saturday, and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Yesterday I picked all the open roses ahead of the big rain expected tonight. When I cut roses I always bring a clean bucket with a couple of inches of water into the rosebed. As soon as I cut a stem I put it in the water so it doesn’t dry and seal up. Then right before arranging I cut the stems again while each stem is in a bowl of water in the sink, at a deep slant. It really helps them last longer in the bouquet. I love my roses.

Full blown garden roses, ready for a bouquet

Connecting with Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Garden Affair Saturday, and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

We got maybe a tenth of an inch of rain, more than the entire summer here in Seattle! But a big rain is coming in a couple of days, thank goodness, maybe two inches over a few days. The garden is so thirsty. If you grow roses, pick them and enjoy a bouquet if a big rain is coming. No sense in letting them get ruined and go to waste.

Water droplets on the petals of a half-open Peace rose in my garden

Connecting with Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Garden Affair Saturday, and Pink Saturday. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.