We’ve had an unusually dry winter here on the Olympic Peninsula, but today was a wonderfully rainy day so I took a long lunch break to go wander through the nearby Rhododendron Garden and admire the flowers.

This is a small but mature garden with quite a few (unlabeled!) varieties of Rhododendrons and Azaleas.

There are some interesting color variations scattered throughout:

A bright pink Azalea blooms against the forest backdrop
A pale yellow Azalea near the garden entrance
A small white Azalea contrasts with the deep shadows of the forest
A bright pink Azalea brings a splash of color to a dark grove

And a lot of classic pale pinks, many of which appear to be the Pacific Rhododendron, native to the Pacific Northwest and also the state flower of Washington:

A single perfect Rhododendron blossom
A cluster of pale pink Rhododendron flowers
A large Rhododendron bush heavy with flowers, likely a Pacific Rhododendron

I got photo-bombed by a very brave fuzzy bee, even though it seems awfully cold for bees this time of year:

This little bee zipped in for a snack and then off again

And as I strolled through the trees, I caught a glimpse of a breathtaking splash of dark color among the pink and green:

A glimpse of color through the trees

When I followed the deer trail into the small grove, I found a massive Rhododendron full of amazing deep red blooms:

A spectacular red Rhododendron, variety unknown
A deep red Rhododendron blossom with large green leaves
Close-up of a deep red Rhododendron blossom

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