This whole aster pollination discussion is fascinating to me, so thanks to all of you for the research. Thanks also to everyone who posted this summer for all the photos! My internet connection is so slow that uploading photos is difficult, even when I remember to take photos. What is blooming now: -Hydrangeas: Annabelle, Pinky Winky (which is just starting to turn pink), pink diamond, Endless Summer, Penny Mac -The tale end of a pink flowering spirea -Several western Agastaches which have been blooming since near the end of July: A. rupestris, A. 'Acapulco orange' and I think one other. They are planted on a sunny, steep, sandy end of a flower bed along with some western penstemons, so I am hoping that they will survive the winter. They are first year plants, but I have had A. rupestris survive for several years in the past, so there is the possibility of survival for all of them, and I will probably find some gravel to mulch around the crowns just to add some even better drainage. It's the first place I've managed to overwinter lavender, so I am hopeful. -Many of my clematis are still throwing out some flowers, though not as many as earlier in the summer. -Phlox in white and screaming magenta -meadow rue (lavender colored and about 7 feet tall) -In my pots I have Salvia 'Black and Blue' and 'Hot lips' along with portulaca, Euphorbia 'Breathless Blush', petunias, dahlias, a red-flowered mandevilla vine, and begonias -Annual Nicotiana in white, red, purple and all shades in between that reseed themselves every year. Lovely scent that wafts through the house in the evenings from July through frost -Lilies. I've learned that the red lily beetles don't seem to bother the Oriental/trumpet crosses and so have started growing them to replace the Asiatic and Oriental varieties that the RLBs seemed to love. -Single and double balloon flowers -Astilbe chinensis 'Pumila, a great groundcover for shade, totally trouble-free and slow spreading for me. -Ravens! They have discovered that the berry crop in the pagoda dogwoods is ripe, so every time I look out there are three huge ravens perched precariously in one of the pagodas gobbling berries. I'll have to check down by the shop a bit more carefully to see what else is blooming down there - long work hours have kept me from spending much time in those gardens.

Thanks Wendy. Yeah, I was surprised LOVESTRUCK bloomed so early already!! I think I'm gonna like it!! Thanks Jean! April & Iris gal, I got HEATHER from Hortico. I think they list it as SILVER ANNIVERSARY. Thanks Judy... always glad to enable... teeheehee Ronda, you're right. LOVESTRUCK almost looks edible! Thanks Bgrose, Florence, Jeff and Krista! Brandy, that's a good idea having JULIE NEWMAR and EBB TIDE near each other. Unfortunately, those are planted in different beds. But I do have a bed of mauve and orange roses. It's a beautiful combo! Rosenpots, I don't know of a own-root source for EBB TIDE.

Thank you Inga! Kate... BEARS?? OMG, I wouldn't be able to handle that! We have a creek way down at the bottom of our circular road, and the canyon is down below the last houses down there. The neighbors down that way had a bear visiting them for a few weeks last yr. I'm so glad we are up closer to the main road. The deer are bad enough... but BEARS??? No thanks! Did you get any rain the last couple days? We had a weird mini storm night before last, and it's been overcast ever since. Could still rain today I suppose. The oak leaves are finally beginning to fall, but my neighbor's big pistachio tree, which is usually bright yellow by now is still dark green. This is a really weird fall for us. Irisgal, I'm lucky if I get a handful of blooms each season on my MONTEZUMA. Not a good bloomer, that's for sure! But, I always attribute it to the crappy soil in that bed. Maybe that's just not the case. There are other roses around it that do bloom much better, so maybe it just is the rose!

Thanks everybody! Iris gal, I don't know if you'll find COURTOISE anywhere anymore. I got it from Hortico several yrs ago. I don't believe they still carry it. Hmm, I just saw MICHELANGELO on one of the websites. Can't remember which one tho. I've tried several different Hummer feeders over the yrs, and this old fashioned Perky Pet one is their favorite, and mine. Never drips and the bees can't get into it. Only problem is, during the summer, I was changing them every day. I have 5 of them out there. Actually 6 counting the one in the back. I must've had 30+ hummies feeding out there at the peak. They're so cute. I love 'em! Lynn, anytime I get the reds right, it's usually just dumb luck. I do like to take my pics in low light tho. They come out better and truer color than in full sun.