Peachie, I've noticed with my roses (mostly teas but others, too) that after the flush and the flower is spent the bush starts putting out new growth, and the leaf at that growth node will turn yellow (and here get some blackspot). I understand that the rose is pumping its energy into the new growth and away from the old leaf so the old leaf loses its green and drops off to be replaced with nice new green leaves. All my roses do this (but not so much Mrs B R Cant & Mme Abel C). I don't consider it disease - just a cycle of growth. Maybe others will have different opinions. Sherry

Can you explain this phenomenon in greater detail? What are the symptoms? It sounds like something that happened to one of mine... It started growing a really tight crown with yellowing, misshapen leaves, and then the crown dried up. I separated it, set it far from the windows (maybe 6-8ft back?), gave it no supplemental light, and ignored it. Didn't water it, or anything. Removed the crown at some point. None of this was intentional, it was basically on its way to the trash but I didn't get around to it. Felt bad one day months later, started giving it a little water. It's back now. It's growing from the crown, normal looking growth, and it doesn't even look like suckers... it looks like a regular crown. We'll see what it does. Just out of curiosity, where can I read up more on micronutrient toxicity? Can I still get back issues of the African Violet Magazine? Thanks!

I've had that too with some of mine. Especially Taratahi Glo. It starts blood red, with a bit of yellow; then washes to more of an orange. This year, it started late; and started with the orange flowers. I believe it is weather related. I think some dahlias thrive on warmer temps and more sunlight. When mid August, september roll around, my neighbors giant Maple starts to shade my yard for most of the day. That seems to dampen the color on some dahlias. Just my theory anyway...

Lovely photos all of them, washed out or not. I had forgotten what Sings The Blues looked like, as mine did not bloom this year, I nearly lost it this spring, so it has struggled all summer. I know just what you mean about the blooms not being the same because of the weather. On Tuesday it was nearly 100 degrees here, and on Wednesday it barely reached 70 degrees. And on top of the cooler temps, we got 2 inches of rain over the last 2 days, courtesy of Gustav. My daylily beds are looking pretty sparce these days. But do have a few reblooming. The boys bought me a new camera so I need to get out there and get a few pictures taken to post. Dianna