We definitely get our share of great-looking plants up here. Naturally, we pay for that in misery, with all the rain, but there are days when it seems just so worth it all. This Spring being cooler than normal and for a longer time has meant a longer blooming period in general.  Where typically some hot streak will come by and burn up blooms, this season it has been much more benevolent. Once again I mine my own neighborhood for pretty cool shots of local trees.

Leading off we have a great-looking pink dogwood in fine flower.  Below, I had to post this.  This is a variegated-leaf dogwood, looking especially white today owing to the leaves emerging with the blooms. Pretty wild-looking thing, isn’t it?

Here’s a tree native to the area, although more commonly seen near the coast.  This Madrone is one of my favorite trees.  It’s bark is typically colorfully-red, peeling like White Birch almost, but with real character in terms of branching shapes and points of interest. It’s also evergreen with those gorgeous glossy leaves almost Southern Magnolia-like.

Finally, I am gratuitously including this medium sized Japanese Maple just because I adore them.  It’s so nice to see them back and thriving.  I have always been so partial to this purple leaf variety, too.  This one has exceptionally great shape in this very inconspicuous spot too.

And it is still Spring!  Lordy.  The weather went from the 50’s all the way to the mid 90’s, now back into the 50’s.  Oh, and it;s raining.  It’s like we never left November!