April 11, 2012 -- peony buds, iris, late afternoon light

These colors were just beautiful as night was falling. The flowers (in vases from left to right) are 1) lily-of-the-valley, 2) peony buds, 3) one pink snapdragon and some blue phlox, 4) one iris blossom, 5) a Byzantine glad with some phlox and an old, yellowing Solomon's seal leaf.

Here are the peony buds and iris flower up close. I particularly like using iris flowers this way (one bloom in a tiny vase), because it allows all the other buds on the stalk to keep maturing outdoors.