Tulips and Daffodils

Photographed in Roozengaarde Gardens in the Skagit Valley during tulip time.

Photographed in the gardens of Roozengaarde Bulb Growers.

This photo was taken in gardens at Roozengaarde's, one of the bulb growers in the Skagit Valley whose premises I visited last week. The day was mostly cloudy and the tulips were closed, but very late in the afternoon the sun came out and they opened briefly. I think tulips are extraordinarily beautiful anyway, but the subtle and unusual colors of the flowers' bases, stamens and pistils are especially intriguing. More pictures can be found at: ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2011/04/skagit-vall...

"But blossom were I, I would rather be Thy moment Than a bee's eternity." - Emily Dickinson This dying tulip flower was photographed in the Gaiser Conservatory at Manito City Park, Spokane. When I touched it the petals all fell away.

Photographed near the Bellingham Bay marina. The background is the water of the bay.

Photographed near Bellingham harbor.