One of the last roses before winter~Today's Flowers 101010

I board my 5 rescue horses up in our local mountains, out away from the desert heat. They are well into their autumn season and I found this yellow rose on one of their roses bushes. There were three more buds on this rose bush, but soon they'll go dormant for the winter. I better enjoy this beauty while I can!!! Their maple trees already have yellow leaves. Today's Flowers for October 10, 2010.

Yellow rose~End of summer~Today's Flowers 091910

Summer is beginning to wind down here in the desert and we should only have a couple more days of triple digit temperatures. By Tuesday, it will only be 99 degrees here! YIPPIE! So, yesterday morning, I took a walk around the horse ranch where I board my horses. It is up in our local mountains, at 4,000 feet. All the horses are beginning to get their winter coats already! The maple trees are starting to get yellow leaves. And, the roses bushes, which bloomed all summer, and winding down. But, this yellow one was in full bloom yesterday and I stopped to admire it. Today's Flowers for September 19, 2010.

Yellow mums~Mellow Yellow Monday 091310

I went to Lowe's this week to check out their fall flowers. They still have many summer ones like zinnas and portulaca. But, they also had these colorful mums. It is still too hot to plant them here (it was 100 degrees here yesterday), but soon our days will cool down and our nights, too. Then desert gardeners can plant these in their gardens. I remember how my grandfather loved his "mums". Mellow Yellow Monday for September 13, 2010.

Sunflower in the morning~Today's Flowers 091210

This morning I'm going back through my photo archives and I found this one. I'd nearly forgotten about it and the others I took of my sunflower garden last January. I had gone out very early one morning and I had to use a flash on it. But, I like the color and you can see the background of the wooden fence behind it. Today's Flowers for September 12, 2010.

Dried agave blossom~Today's Flowers 081510

I always enjoy walking in the morning up at the Santa Rosa Mountains Visitor Center. One morning, they had these agave blossoms leaning against a wall and I stopped to observe them. The agaves have already bloomed and there are many dried ones along our local mountains and highways. I took a close look at one of them. Isn't it interesting? Today's Flowers for Sunday, August 15, 2010.

Wild sunflowers~Today's Flowers 080810

A friend and I stopped on the road to Warner Springs yesterday at an old stage coach stop and I saw these wild sunflowers. These grow all around the Coachella Valley and up in our local mountains. I have stopped a few times to pull off the seeds and planted them in my yard, but I've only had 1 plant actually grow. So, I guess I'll continue to admire them in their natural habitat! They are smaller than commercially grown sunflowers, like the mammoth, and have many flowers on a stem. There are some growing right now down by my school and I may investigate them further! Today's Flowers for August 8, 2010.

Desert Willow~Today's Flowers August 1, 2010

Our desert willows are now blooming here in the desert. While my own plant is just a baby, these mature ones are up at the Santa Rosa Mountains Visitor Center. I walked by this one this morning and took these photos. Desert willows are fairly common here in our desert. While its leaves are long and slender like a willow, it is actually a member of the catalpa family. Bees enjoy visiting the blossoms and they were busy this morning! Today's Flowers for August 1, 2010.