Nik, I'm sorry for what you're going through since I well understand your situation. It's all relative, since we would be ecstatic here if we received two inches of rain after the summer heat. We had a quarter inch of rain the other day and felt incredibly lucky. Since it will be another winter of drought here every drop is precious. I hope that you're not heading into greater drought as we are because of global warming, because the only way I've found to handle that is to scale down to half the number of roses I used to grow. I hope that won't be necessary in your beautiful garden, and will keep my fingers crossed that you soon have a downpour that will make you feel 100% better.

WOW lovely flowers and gardens all.. Marlorena.. I'll fly you to the states to help my garden hehe... I love your garden so lush and green

Totoro- the latest pic of lady of Shallot was from june or july. I had one or two blooms before the snow but it definitely slowed down after august. I do feed it whole bananas blended up with water a few time during the season in addition to compost and bagged manure.

What an inspirational collection of photos. Thanks so much for posting!

Nik, I'm sorry to hear about your drought. Our fall rainfall has also been lower than average, though we've had enough rain to keep the garden going; I don't know about groundwater levels. Meanwhile Piemonte and Genova to our west have been drastically flooded. It seems like we have a very durable high pressure system sitting on top of our area that keeps out heavy rains and wind.

Marlorena, I don't know how seriously you meant it, but you might consider the possibility that you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. I'm pretty sure I do. It comes regularly every winter, starting around our Thanksgiving (4th Thursday in November) and lasting until the end of January or beginning of February. I call it the dark time of year. I took antidepressants during the winter for several years--they were helpful--then got a feeling I could do without the medication and stopped. Now I spend as much time as possible outdoors, exercise a lot, and have ensured adequate indoor lighting as well. SAD isn't fun, but I've been able to manage it.

Mellissa.... I couldn't have said it better myself, and the dates you mention are virtually the same for me. I would say mid Nov to end January when I start to feel better with increasing daylight hours and the sun starts to get higher in the sky. So yes, I've always considered I suffer from this right back to childhood, although no one then knew anything about it. I was once advised by a medical professional to move to a warmer climate like Australia.

No I've never bothered with medication as the only thing I need is sun and warmth, so I just sit it out for those few weeks, but the lack of energy and enthusiasm for anything much, does get one down, it makes me reclusive and my sleep pattern alters. That's when I know it's started...

I console myself by knowing there is a lot worse going on out there and this isn't a great issue, just a seasonal variation in mood. Fortunately, I don't have to go to work too much these days, so the general public is not overly burdened with my symptoms..

Malorena, perhaps you should try a SAD light lamp each morning? Medication free alternative that really works.

totoro.... yes I've heard of those and sometimes thought that perhaps I should have one too, I think they're effective aren't they?... but I'm not sure I need it so much these days, but I ought to have considered that seriously a few years ago when I worked longer hours. Admitting there is an issue is sometimes difficult...

Awww, don't feel desperate. You live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. I think you're blessed even on the rainy days. I love the smell of rain and wet earth. A rare treat here in So CA. Wish we could trade some sunshine for some rain.......

Marlorena I have one and they work great! I get that way even here in California once the days get shorter so I can only imagine what a beast I would be where you are! If I was a plant I would require full sun in order to thrive. ;)

I guess I need a bit of overwintering. ;)

I like to say I'm solar powered. Christmas is coming...I wonder if Amazon UK sells SAD light lamps?

Yes they do Melissa, quite a few actually. I ought to get one really but one is supposed to consult the Doctor before doing so...

Marlorena, I hope the sun is shining for you, and things are looking better today. You have such a gift for bringing all the parts of a garden together--hardscape, perennials, flowering shrubs, and, of course, roses so that they complement each other into a stunning whole. I wish I could do what you have done......and this thread has been so enjoyable for me as I am about to go into hibernation for the winter. Seeing Ingrid's roses and toad get a refreshing drink was a mood lifter, as well as the exquisite photos posted by jannorcal of the old cemetery. And Trish, I loved seeing more views of your garden on its many levels (I envisioned all those steps you have to take, too). What a variety of plants you have. Kelly, I'm so happy to have seen some your obviously extensive plantings, especially the lush tree peony and that happy hibiscus.

I decided to post some photos of my garden, too, and couldn't decide on more perennials or more roses--so I went with the roses.

A front yard view of a bit of Colette, Young Lycidas, and Julia Child

Abbaye de Cluny in October

Boscobel being photobombed by coneflowers

Ebb Tide

Augusta Louise

Bernstein-Rose

Brother Cadfael

Jude the Obscure is next...first in May

Then in November

Evelyn

Julia Child and Twilight Zone

Frederic Mistral

Clancy and a nervy doll

Wow!! I am always amazed by your pictures!! Your roses look so happy. This is how I envision the enter entrance to heaven.... it was actually 50 degrees f and raining here today! I don't remember the last time it was this warm this late in the season. Hoping for a short (for us) winter! Maybe 5-6mo? (Rather than 7-9..)

Diane, your photos of your garden, as usual, are amazing. Wow, was what I said too, Kelly! And that doll your granddaughter 'decorated' is spookily good. Thanks for the nice things you said about my garden, but honestly, I can't hold a candle to you, Ingrid and Marlorena, and several others too numerous to mention.

Here is William R Smith this morning

Half of the country got flooded in the rains the last couple of days with places receiving 10 inches or more, but we received just a bit more than an inch.. Still, I suppose I have to be grateful since that's better than nothing. We are still very short of our yearly average though..

I'm delighted you got some much needed rain Nik, if not as much as you wanted...

Diane, your roses are stunning as always, thanks for showing me again just how it should be done... a feast for my bleary eyes this morning and I was convinced the doll was real for a minute and couldn't figure out just how Clancy got into it...

I note you are another hibernator over this period, so let's hope it soon passes for us all.. I know you work so hard at your garden there when conditions allow, with spectacular results.

Trish, another lovely rose... not one I know at all..and your garden is just as varied and interesting as any other here... I've been to Sydney and marvelled at the lushness...

Clear and sunny today after an overnight of 26F... not a cloud in the sky, so a chance to soak up what warmth there is going.... great for walking the dog... well actually, he walks me... talk again soon...

The garden pix here are delightful. After being in the hospital for a couple of weeks it was nice to get home and find fall roses blooming... including, for the first time, a couple of lovely blooms from 'Mortimer Sackler'. Took more than a year to bloom here, but they were a welcome sight.

Here is a link about SAD and a possible connection with Vitamin D3 deficiency:

Virginia

Beautiful photos, Nanadoll! The combos are breathtaking. I read somewhere that Ascot could be grown in a container. I thought instantly of yours, and thought," I don't think that's a good idea!"

I hope you are feeling better, Virginia. A couple of weeks is a long time to be hospitalized. Thanks for the link. My neurologist has me on 10,000 units of Vitamin D. People with MS are often low and often depressed. That's been the case for me. Get well soon. I'm glad you had some lovely new blooms to welcome you home. There's no place like home after staying in the hospital! Lisa

Nanadoll I like that picture with the kitty. Without glasses, it looked like someone with a giant kitty in the house.

All the roses look beautiful. I couldn't keep my Ascot in a pot. It would need a small tree box or something like that.

Trish, I loved seeing your glorious William R. Smith, which is hopefully a foretaste of what mine will do by next year, now that it has been replanted in Tea Rose Row.

Diane, your pictures cheered up my morning considerably; what gorgeous roses you have. Your Evelyn makes me wish that I had planted this rose at some time; it is sublime. I'm amazed at your wonderful profusion of roses this late in the year, you must be in heaven. Your garden is an inspiration to me.

Lisa, thanks for your good wishes. Two weeks, two different hospitals, and very little sleep. I've caught up on my sleep deficit a bit since coming home, and it's soothing to watch the dog sleeping nearby, see the patterns of light shifting through the trees out my window as I watch the birds chasing each other around out there. Nothing like a diagnosis of a life-threatening illness to help me appreciate these things even more than I already did. I may need modern medicine to regain physical health, but the natural world is the source for much-needed spiritual and psychological healing.

Thanks again,

Virginia

Virginia, I'm so sorry to hear that you have been unwell, I did wonder what happened to you for a while, but thought perhaps the recent Election with all its shenanigans had taken its toll, as it seems to have done for so many.

We do wish you well and hope for a speedy recovery. You've got all those delicious Camellias to look forward to very shortly...

Thanks, Marlorena... yes, already some of the camellias are blooming, and quite a few roses that did almost nothing over the summer are putting on a show these days.

I won't say I'm at all happy about the Election outcome, but I wasn't as surprised by it as many people seem to have been. I am glad that I have an Obamacare policy that will keep us from facing medical bankruptcy for the expenses already incurred, and I'm hoping the ACA will not be successfully repealed anytime soon. Not just for my sake, but because I don't think only the 1% should be able to afford healthcare.

Thanks for your encouragement, and your lovely garden photos. I confess that I downloaded one of your summer garden photos from an earlier post, and I click on it every so often because I find it so beautiful and calming.

Virginia

I hope you fully recover Virginia, as I so enjoy your posts along with everyone here.

Virginia, I'm so sorry to hear that you're unwell. I wish you a full and speedy recovery. That's a lovely picture you paint of the view from your bed.

Lisa, I didn't realise you had MS. What a difficult thing for you to deal with.

Trish

Virginia, welcome back! Hospitals are, in my experience, places to leave as soon as practically possible, and then, I'm guessing this is a beautiful time of year where you live. Congratulations on your return home. I wish you a good recovery.

People have posted so many beautiful photos on this thread; a treat and a gift to us all. Thank you!

Oh, Virginia, very best wishes from me too. It sounds as if you've been going through some pretty major challenges in the last few weeks.. I do hope you're now safely on the road to recovery and healing on all levels. It is good to see and hear the birds and trees outside when one is sick in bed, like a sweet welcome back into the physical world. :-) Illness and other adverse events can sometimes have that effect of simplifying one's perspective on life down to the barest essentials...

Lisa, my sympathy to you, living with MS. I have ME/CFS, which shares many of the symptoms as well as the long-term, fluctuating nature of MS. I've been taking Vit D too, having been mostly stuck indoors/ in bed for a couple of years now. I can't remember what the dose is. I pretty much have to work out my own medication since my regular doctors rarely offer anything but a rather cloying blend of sympathy, puzzlement and scepticism. My depression has definitely lifted a lot recently, but I think that may be as much to do with the new (to me) meditation method I'm following as the Vit D.

I know there are a number of regulars out there who are dealing with difficult, debilitating and incapacitating health and other issues - perhaps we need a new thread where we could share a little of what we miss and what helps to keep us going. All strictly rose-related, naturally...

Love to all,

Comtesse :-)

Yes, it sounds like we all have our cross to bear. The garden and roses are a real balm to the soul. (Most of the time, anyway) I just do what I can, working for about 20 min and then resting. It's hard to get much done and I'm always in the middle of multiple things. I love it though. Lisa

I agree that gardening is therapy for us all, regardless of official health status. I know that spending time with my plants, and watching the birds, etc. makes me feel saner and more centered than is probably justified in such a crazy, busy, too-fast world.

Comtesse, I like your idea of a separate thread on roses, gardening and healing strategies. I would like to hear a bit more about how you are using meditation in your illness, and it might help others also. As you say, a number of regular forum members are coping with various illnesses and ailments, and a support group of sorts- in a gardening context- seems like it could be beneficial.

I feel for your doctors, and their inability to understand your situation, but I feel more for you, trying to figure things out on your own.

Lisa, you amaze me- keeping so many plates in the air, despite the limits to your stamina.

I haven't previously mentioned what my diagnosis is... it seems a shame to bring up ovarian cancer when this thread is full of so many beautiful photos, and delightful garden gossip, and then, I'm still trying to process the info I've been given.

Virginia

I'm so terribly sorry, I did have a feeling it was something along those lines Virginia... I am most flattered but delighted that one of my photos gives you some comfort from time to time, and once again and as always, you have my very best wishes....

Virginia, I'm an agnostic, and certainly can't believe in an all powerful, all loving god, but I'm praying for you.

My cousin was just diagnosed, Virginia, with that and is in the middle of chemo after extensive surgery. I'm with titian in the pulling for you both.

I am so sorry to hear of many of your health troubles. I wish all of you with these challenges strength to keep fighting these terrible ailments. Lisa is right and it bears repeating, "The garden and roses are a real balm to the soul." I hope your gardens are healing for you even as (many if us) move to a season where less is going on. Gardener's of the southern hemisphere, keep posting pictures of your beautiful spring!

Dear Virginia, as a non-religious person I can only send you warm hugs and the most sincere wishes for your well-being. Sheila, I also wish your cousin all the very best, and you too, who no doubt is very much affected. I wish I could take away the pain of all of you who are carrying on with so much dignity and grace.

Wow, Ingrid, we all feel better.

Sheila, I wish your cousin all the best; I know she is fortunate to have your support as she goes through her treatment program. I think my docs are planning to start with chemo since I was recently put on a blood thinner.

titian and Ingrid, I haven't ever been able to accept organized religion, although I do admire people whose faith makes them stronger and more compassionate; I don't think of myself as an atheist exactly, but my concept of God looks more like Mother Nature than that guy on the Sistine Ceiling. That said, any healing thoughts or messages to the Universe are welcome, whether they are called prayers or not.

That's a lovely bouquet, Ingrid; what is the plant providing the dark green foliage, please?

Thanks to you all.

Virginia

It is a lovely bouquet. It looks like sage... is that right Ingrid? What a wonderful, healing idea.

Virginia's idea of God mirrors my own. I wish there was something we could do, to make people better...

I thought the leaves were from a Buddleia bush but I might be wrong..

Oh Virginia, I`m really sorry. I am a believer and I`m praying for you even as I type.

Ingrid, that IS lovely. The simple combo looks just right. I finally had WiFi installed yesterday and it is glorious to see these roses on a huge laptop screen. Much more impressive than my iPhone. I may have to go back to some favorite posted pictures here and see them in full size. Wonderful! And the bonus is I can lower my phone bill and mostly just use my phone data allowance for taking pictures. Hopefully this means I can post more rose photos without worrying about what its doing to my bill.

Feel better everyone! Lisa

I'm glad you all liked the bouquet; it was the best way I could think of to express my feelings. Marlorena, you are the winner since the foliage is from a butterfly bush. It's a nice complement to the roses. Lisa, I'm so glad you've moved up to the big time (via the big screen). Roses and gardens look incredibly better when they're on a large screen and your eye picks up so much more detail. It would be lovely if you can post more pictures of your own too.

Courage, Virginia. We're rooting for you.

Virginia or Comtesse, how about you start that thread on Roses, Gardening,and Healing strategies? Or what we miss and how to cope? Short cuts for low energy times and strategies for keeping the roses going when you're not able to put any energy into them at all. I think many of us would enjoy it and learn a lot, sick, down, or doing just great. Lisa

Yesterday the title "The Rosy Wailing Wall" popped into my head although I suppose that's a bit too negative. But, I agree, it would be nice to have a place where we don't have to pretend everything is hunkey dorey, although I'm a chronic complainer and I haven't been shy about mentioning my ailments. The rest of you are much more reticent and classy, but there has to be a drama queen in every group.

Not how I'd describe you, Ingrid!

Neither would I, Ingrid. Besides, here if someone doesn't want to hear about it, they don't have to read it. Lisa

I agree. Honesty is not "complaining". I really have learned so much from your accurate reporting Ingrid.

Trish, Lisa, and Sheila, I know you are aware of some of the discussions we've had on the seasonal thread "The Fall of the Rosen Empire". I feel a lot of us have grown closer and felt the support of others on this thread when we've shared physical and mental challenges. It has evolved very naturally, and we always seem to come back to our gardens and roses after more serious discussions. It has been surprising to me to learn that some of the happiest, most "up" people on the Rose Forum are facing the most serious challenges. I don't think any of us grow tired of listening to others' problems. We seem to buoy each other up with our mutual love of roses. Diane

Diane, well said.