Explosions at Rose Gardens!

[anna in boots]

Explosions of color, that is. (Hey, I had to get your attention somehow.)

Unzip that camera bag, charge up the battery, and polish your lenses, folks, the Rose Garden is just crazy-beautiful right now. I've never seen it like this. There's a disturbing amount of color happening in every corner, nook, and cranny. Everything's full-blown gorgeous.

There are thick cascades of pink like waterfalls of taffeta, clusters of lipstick red bigger than a bride's bouquet, and a frothing, foaming river of white. The air is heady with sweet smells of sugar and spices and that rain last night plumped up the green lawn until it's just about bursting.

Everyone from tourists to professional photographers are milling around slowly in a daze, gape-jawed and whispering in reverent tones. Tripods are set up everywhere. People are dipping and bobbing to catch a whiff of this one, taste the smell of that one. I think I inhaled about forty before I couldn't put off breakfast any longer and had to head home.

Now, I have a sudden craving for white cake with pink frosting roses. Dang it!

See you there!

anna in boots

PS: My favorite rose has always been "Don Juan," a deep, blood-red climber that smells like sweet Merlot and cloves.

[pdxgene]

Nice shots! You found a way to take that white/gray/anythingbutblue sky out of play. It was horrible conditions for pictures today and very frustrating.
And as I was out in the woods all day and hadn't seen the news you're subject almost gave me a heart attack when I first thought it said explosions had rocked the Rose Garden , not Gardens.. They can't blow it up when we're finally going to have a good year to work there...

[anna in boots]

You're a riot, Gene. And I have to confess, I took those pictures last year. But nothing compares to this one, and I'll be out there again this week for more.

anna in boots

[Grannyhiker]

Beautiful shots, Anna!

Thanks to many volunteers who go through the Rose Test gardens deadheading, weeding and generally providing TLC to the bushes, they're that way all summer. I spent most of a day there with my daughter and son-in-law last August and the place was spectacular--not to be missed!

[anna in boots]

The volunteers at the Rose Gardens are fabulous--I should know, I'm one of them!

anna in gloves

[Grannyhiker]

Sounds of loud applause from grannyhiker!!!!!!

[Waffle Stomper]

The title of my post caught my attention. Great posts and thanks for your volunteerism.