Thanks for the recommendation re the book. I got a hummingbird book on somebody's recommendation and too tired to read it. I thought the colors (purple and yellow) would be nice. Well, let's see what it does this season. I am trying to layer my out-of-control Rooguchi which shouldn't be quite as rampant as this one might get, and it is a beautiful blue with just a hint of purple. If the layering works, I could put the Polish Spirit where? I'm out of room! I'll figure out something, just don't want to lose it even if it was only $10. I'd better get that book and at least skim through it. Michelle, been thinking about your post all day, have been pooped the last couple of days, been pushing pretty hard for me. Delphinium - I ordered some seeds, been hanging out on the winter sowing forum and am going to try those next winter. In the meantime, I've got some blue larkspur in the fridge soaking in peat but don't want to bother with it now. I winter sowed some huge white foxglove, and I guess that handles part shade. Well the front bed is adequately sunny, but here's the problem with that. Roof overhang. The roof is angled the other way so there's just a faint drip line, not like on the sides and garage, so I really don't think that will be a problem. But when it rains, the back part gets no water unless it's windy. Once foxgloves get established, I think they can tolerate dryness, so can Harison, don't know about delphs, but I thought about that, too. I was so hung up on pink, I'm branching out into blues, whites, purples, etc., and always yellows, my favorite color. Coatrack - I saw a pretty wooden one at Restore Habitat but didn't let myself get it, I think they wanted $25 for it which was a little pricey but prob an antique. That would have been nice, but I already had this thing. People have been walking by and looking at it lol. Like what is she doing now? I'd love to see the photos of your arbor/gate. If I stumbled across something like that, I'd grab it, but I'm noted for planning projects and not finishing them, so it's a wonder I made myself get that thing finally set up. I forced myself because I had that clem that was going to grab something if I didn't get it set in the ground lol. Ann may be right that it may be too big. Why can't I prune the thing if it gets unwieldy? I'm going to have to whack the top off the Roos or rig up some rebar teepees (which I'm not looking forward dragging out to get more stuff). The arbor, I was sick about it. That was my dream ever since I've lived here and to find that particular one that I saw a pic on a calendar 3 years B4, thought I could have something really nice at last. There is slight damage, could probably patch it up myself, can't remember what. It's those darn concrete footings. It has to be done all over and staked on rebar or something stronger. I will have to hire it done and hope to get somebody better this time. But now I'm wondering if the lattice will support both a rose and that Roo, that thing puts up some strong, heavy stems. The drain, glad that is over with, thought I only partially succeeded but reasoned thusly. Now that I've got the water chanelled pretty deep underground, it is going to have to go somewhere, so it might carve out a channel then my front yard will collapse lol. Anyway, nothing wants to grow there, read that monarda likes damp, so planted two white ones. If it's really heavy rain, it still pools a little, but nothing like what I had before. I need to do something similar here in the back, but that will be a lot more digging. It's bugging me because I don't remember ever having this problem there before in all the years I've lived here, overflow from the gutter, even when it had fallen off and didn't have one for years, don't know. Had somebody climb up there and check, no leaves accumulated. It's driving me nuts as I have to set buckets out to catch it when it rains or it makes a pond but does soak in after not too long after it stops, but I don't want that soppy mess there. I guess I don't need a Morden, but if you have a photo, would love to see it. You've got acres if I remember correctly, but that doesn't necessarily mean you can manage it all as garden space, your state has so many different kinds of terrain and elevations. I know near Ft. Collins, I think, there is farming or ranching. Can't do a whole lot in those mountains though, haven't been out that way since I was young. Oh and the cold frame. I read your post about when you built yours. I was a little envious! If I really put my mind to it, I could do it, but more digging and dirt to get rid of, nowhere to dump it, low on my priorities right now. Father Hugo is what got me started on this yellow China rose kick as a kid, lady across the street had one on an arbor. Then I collected some seeds where the people said I could but didn't know what to do with them. Then I saw Helen's Harison and that did it. At first I thought I've nowhere to put two, then thought either the bed in the front or on my cat's grave. The latter gets sun part of the day but is dappled shade mostly, at the end of the long strip I started this year. So it would be stupid to turn down such a generous offer. How much trouble would it be to ship; of course, I'll pay shipping and then some, don't know what I might have you'd want? So if you could email me after the holiday weekend, aglessREMOVETHIS@earthlink.net, maybe we can work something out. I called Helen a little bit ago, she's 80 now, and I don't want to bug her for more stuff right now because she had a bladder infection that got so bad she had to have dialysis. She sounded good, but needs more help now, and I can't even get my own stuff done. She has kids to help, luckily. I'm just going over in a couple days for a short visit and to see Harison blooming. Mine has buds but not blooming yet. Hers is in total full sun, and mine is about 6 hours, maybe that is why, plus mine's still a baby. Hers are huge, several separate ones, been there for years and years since she bought that place. Taking you up on your offer would give me a jump start on getting more going, and I don't really care, but it might not look exactly the same as the one I have; roses do vary. For all I know, maybe it will be better. When I get the energy, if necessary, I can rig up a soaker hose for in front. Now that the two strips lining the front walk are more established with planting, I don't think I'll have to water as much but will when it gets hot & no rain. Sorry went on so long. Lots to talk about and hard to explain. I feel bogged down with all the problems but have the hardest planting done but lots of little stuff coming along to fill in here and there. I've got several kinds of salvia started, 2 jugs of rudbeckia Prairie Sun, 3 jugs of purple poppies (go in that front bed with the Becky daisies and blue alliums), set out White Wedding zinnias in six packs waiting for them to get bigger. Also planted three ? dragon lilies in the front bed on the far left away from Harison on far right, the kind that get 8' tall, hang down, burgundy or maroon w/white border. What is so discouraging is that I tilled twice, amended to expand that bed to set in a bunch of bulbs for the front of it, figuring to overplant. Well this gorgeous grass pops up anyway. I'm waiting for the tulip leaves & others to die back so I can try to smother it under something. I've tried pulling it but what a job. It's not that nasty kind of grass either. This post is over the top. Sorry. So much to talk about once I get to talking.

Weird, isn't it? Looks stranger on the plant.

Thank you for your suggestions freedomplace1, they are much appreciated. I am trying to fix the picture links, not sure why they aren't working. I agree that grey is pretty much over and was leaning towards an off-white or cream with the hale navy accent wall. My problem with it is that to me white walls has always felt so institutional to me (I work in a hospital) but I feel like it would look really good.

Oh yay! What fun! And that is really the primary thing Trunk Club did for me-- it got me trying things I didn't think i could wear and some new brands I didn't think i could fit my body type (beyond yoga, madewell, vince and nike, for example). I needed the nudge to try new things-- especially because my reliable stores became not so reliable.. J.Jill moved to dowdier and lower quality options.. Loft plus size shut down.. etc. I didn't like Stitch Fix.. in my size range I found the options uninspired and a lot of the same thing fix to fix. I did received a few cute things but overall I didn't care for the styles or quality. I'll be curious to see how it goes for you! I am THIS >< close to stopping Trunk Club-- they've made a lot of changes in the last year to greatly reduce the "service" part of the service ... most recently, they just stopped the messaging your stylist feature. In truth, it didn't make sense to keep after they took away our dedicated stylists.. but it may be the last straw for me. On the other hand, it doesn't cost me anything unless i choose to keep something so I guess I am getting the service i pay for lolol. (i only have the service fee waived because i am a long-term customer and i spend a lot between nordstrom/trunk club)