Hi all, Palo Alto, California is just about what is considered the Northern end of Silicon Valley on the Peninsula side of SF Bay. Real Estate along Page Mill Road has the distinction of having once been the most expensive in the entire United States, topping Manhattan for a brief time toward the end of the 90s, just before the economic tech boom came to an end. For gardeners, the area has some wonderful places to go. The Elizabeth F. Gamble Home and Garden is located in the City of Palo Alto, at the corner of Embarcadero and Waverly. It is a working garden as there are several beds which are planted with a large variety of plants. The home itself is apparently a museum and the folks at Gamble provide classes on Gardening. The Gamble Gardens are a nice way for folks to see those flowers that bloom in Winter ( now ) and later, in the other seasons. The photos here should help to answer some of those questions about which plants flower right now, like this Iris ... Here's a shot of the Gamble Home, 'The Carriage House' ... Also in Palo Alto, is prestegious Stanford University which has a sprawling well landscaped campus and ... The Cantor Center for Visual Arts. The Canter Center hosts an Auguste Rodin Sculpture Garden, a Garden of Stone. Often, one of the things that makes or breaks a garden is not the plants, but the trappings, walls, figurines, a trellis, etc. While touring the garden spots in the Palo Alto and Woodside area, choose to visit the Rodin Sculpture Gardens and Stanford's excellent Visual Arts Museum. It's a treat. And inside the Cantor Arts Center ... And now for a formal garden ... The Filoli Center in Woodside, located just of the 280 and sitting for all intents, right on top of the San Andreas fault, is a huge estate which is a California Landmark. Like the Hearst Castle, the grounds and mansion are open to the public. Filoli has special events throughout the year when they feature floral and garden displays that must really be something to take part in. Inside the mansion ... Back outside again ... Well after that, I feel like Italian food. There's a place in San Jose called Santana Row. It's new and is right across the street from the famous Winchester Mystery House. I saw this place recently and had to try it ... A street scene from Santana Row is included and notice how happy the staff from Maggiano's is to see me? Ciao! BTW: Did you see the Humming Bird in the Filoli Garden pictures? Little guys are hard to photograph, but I froze one in time. The Gamble Gardens are a nice way for folks to see those flowers that bloom in Winter ( now ) and later, in the other seasons. The photos here should help to answer some of those questions about which plants flower right now, like this Iris ... Here's a shot of the Gamble Home, 'The Carriage House' ... Also in Palo Alto, is prestegious Stanford University which has a sprawling well landscaped campus and ... The Cantor Center for Visual Arts. The Canter Center hosts an Auguste Rodin Sculpture Garden, a Garden of Stone. Often, one of the things that makes or breaks a garden is not the plants, but the trappings, walls, figurines, a trellis, etc. While touring the garden spots in the Palo Alto and Woodside area, choose to visit the Rodin Sculpture Gardens and Stanford's excellent Visual Arts Museum. It's a treat. And inside the Cantor Arts Center ... And now for a formal garden ... The Filoli Center in Woodside, located just of the 280 and sitting for all intents, right on top of the San Andreas fault, is a huge estate which is a California Landmark. Like the Hearst Castle, the grounds and mansion are open to the public. Filoli has special events throughout the year when they feature floral and garden displays that must really be something to take part in. Inside the mansion ... Back outside again ... Well after that, I feel like Italian food. There's a place in San Jose called Santana Row. It's new and is right across the street from the famous Winchester Mystery House. I saw this place recently and had to try it ... A street scene from Santana Row is included and notice how happy the staff from Maggiano's is to see me? Ciao! BTW: Did you see the Humming Bird in the Filoli Garden pictures? Little guys are hard to photograph, but I froze one in time.

Hi Miriam,... ...just to answer your last questions... where I live a lot of the homes are made of wood construction, not brick... so wooden sheds are considered a fire risk... people put their freezers, fridges and electric lawn mowers in there, power tools... and with electric connected it presents a risk... mind you, my metal shed gets so hot in the summer I have to open the door... there is no ventilation as such, although it's not totally airless.. but I get concerned about something combusting on very hot days... probably worrying about nothing.. ...most gardens in UK have wooden sheds, usually a small one about 8 x 6 foot with a window and felt roof, which is inclined to leak before very long... ...we can also have brick sheds and plastic sheds... not sure what they're made of, something like UPVC... maintenance free, they look quite smart... I could have either of these if I wanted but I think they're more expensive... people also use their garages as garden sheds... I used to in a previous house... parking the vehicle outside and using the garage for gardening purposes... did all my shredding in there, had a big shredding machine too... only moving the car back in on occasions... ...some of the pictures above on this thread we would probably call 'outhouses' or 'summer houses' even, as they look good enough to spend some time in, sleep in even... we have those here but tend to see them in large gardens where the owners have spent time and money on landscaping...

How lovely to hear from you, Rick. I just yesterday happened upon the Fraser Valley Rose Farm on Youtube, and, having lived in Prince George, Pemberton and Vancouver, I have a warm affinity for the BC area. I've grown and loved Mary Rose, Potter and Moore, Ambridge Rose and Evelyn, and also Glamis Castle, with considerably less affection, as I didn't care for the thorns and scent. There is still great affection, as you probably are aware, for the old Austin varieties on the rose forums, and how lovely to know that you are growing them in your wonderful part of the world!

Going to go ahead with this plan I drafted earlier for my neighbor. They went out to one the nursey in Westland and got the plants so I plan on working on the rain garden later today.