Hardy Geraniums, Columbines and Other Pretties

I've never done a blog meme before, but I thought if I was going to start it would have to be with Tootsie's Fertilizer Friday. I just hope I do it right, I've never participated in one of these before.

Here's a look at the flowers blooming in my garden right now.

Aquilegia 'Tequila Sunrise' was supposed to be red and yellow, but this one and another in the same bed are both yellow. I was hoping for something that would look similar to the native red and yellow columbine, Aquilegia canadensis, but this is still pretty.

I also have 'Clementine Red' growing in my garden.

I love hardy geraniums, they are one of my favorite perennials.

'Biokovo'

And 'Biokovo Karmina' (with bonus wee bug)

Geranium macrorrhizum 'Bevan's Variety' (a little out of focus, the neighbor's psychotic cat was twining around my legs as I was trying to take this pic)

My Weigela 'Wine and Roses' is covered in flowers.

And I discovered that a plant that I thought was a rosemary is actually a French lavender.

Thanks for checking out my blog. Lots of other bloggers participate in Tootsie's Fertilizer Friday, so head over to Tootsie Time and check out all the other blogs!

Western Tanager

A bird that I think is a Western Tanager showed up in my back garden today, flitting from branch to branch while I tried to capture it from the window with the zoom on my camera. It finally landed very briefly beside my stream, and I took two quick pictures which, surprisingly, turned out in focus.

His face is not quite as bright orange as the picture in my bird book, but I think I'm correct.

According to my book, the Western Tanager is a Central and South American species that has expanded into Washington. Its colorful plumage does bring a touch of the tropics to the garden.