It's really a treat, and then we have the Dahlia festival!

@tinkercreek
Our public gardens in the city centre have what they call 'Dahlia Days'. I'm guessing they plant about a hundred Dahlia. I missed last year's Dahlia Days but I won't this year. I'll be taking both my cameras and photograph each one twice.

Interesting, I wonder how many places are getting on the Tulip bandwagen? Are we going back to the days when Tulips were prized and became very valuable.
Wooden shoe bring back a laugh. I participated in a work week vacation in our Cascade Mountains on a rail to trail project. The leader was a very determined and persuasive British woman. People would laugh and said she had a 'wooden shoe' club. It came from her watching people and asking 'wouldn't you' like to do such and such. My first year I drove her (she was older and did not drive). When I returned her home she asked "wouldn't you like to come in and do my dishes. I couldn't refuse. PBS did a video and it is about her and her cajoling people to do things. Here is a link to her. [historylink.org] and a comment from the link
"Ruth was honored on her 90th birthday with a celebration held at the Museum of History & Industry on January 12, 2008. Repeatedly speakers referred to Ruth’s persuasive abilities; she was the one person you couldn’t say “no” to. Those who attended were invited to join the “Wooden Shoe Club,” a reference to Ittner’s continual advocacy for her projects that usually began with “Wouldn’t you like to ..."

@JackPedigo thanks for the history! There is a place I've heard about in Washington that has always intrigued me but I take it its heydays are in the past now. Have you ever visited that Ohme garden in Wenatchee? Some more searching on youtube turned up this video which is great for the history.

@MarkWD Ohme Garden oh yea. An absolutely amazing place and done by a couple with a small truck in order to bring some of the west side to the east side. It was a work of love and crazy. It was very impressive and is now a big attraction. One neat thing about this location is just down the road is the rocky Reach Dam. It is an amazing place and one can stand in the generator hall and feel the power of those massive machines. There is also a historical museum inside as well as a hall of famous Indian chiefs. Because of all the dams along the Columbia the river is said to be the most powerful in the world.[video.search.yahoo.com]
Being a non-Washingtonian both myself and my 2 partners traveled all over the state. There is an unbelievable amount to see in this crazy place. Always a city slicker and never thought I would be living on an island. Thanks for the reminder.

Yep, it's that good.

Thank you for posting this!

@tinkercreek You've been to the Ohme garden too? Any recommendation of a season to go?

I went to the Tulip Festival many years ago - it was amazing! One day I want to make it to The Netherlands in the spring.

@MissKathleen - My sister moved to Oregon several years ago not far from Schreiner's. I urged her to go to their spring function one year and she and her husband decided to go. They are active and usually have a busy schedule. She later sent some pictures of gorgeous iris in bloom and reported that they thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

oooooh, that's just a 30-minute drive from me!