All is good here today so far...

We have not had any snow yet, just flurries on and off...Snow usually comes mid DEC...Depends...

Enjoying reading everyones posts and looking at pics...Very uplifting! Thanks everyone!

Yay, getting my carpet cleaned. Hopefully for the last time before we yank the carpet out.

Phase 2 of our remodel hopefully early spring.

Dang it, still no rain and glorious days

How can I complain? Almost Thanksgiving and no mountain snow

Even though it is lovely out this will bite us next summer.

So how about a picture instead of complaining?

kristine_legault's ideas · More Info

Beautiful Bolero

kristine_legault's ideas · More Info

Eternal Flame

kristine_legault's ideas · More Info

Could Purple Prince, could be Twilight Zone

Jim, things sound better for you, and I hope this continues. I'm glad you're not starting in with the snow yet, but I could use some rain. Still no significant rain, just a few hundredths of an inch, since late April. Our system is off, so I can't water, and boy, is everything dry.

Kristine, you are lucky in one thing, and that is the beautiful weather with roses still blooming. I agree that rain is needed for us. As always, Bolero is a beauty, and it certainly blooms a lot. Eternal Flame is lovely and new to me. More renovation next spring for you? How do you do it all? How is Azalea doing with the head gear--I hope she isn't fussy from it bothering her.

Trish, I'm so happy you made it home safe and sound, and I know Rosie was probably beside herself with joy. Do you have any ears left? Now, how's the garden doing? Today will probably be our last really nice day, and instead of working outside, I will go to town and get groceries. I don't think I'm up to a lot of work, though I feel good. I wish I were in Australia now. I'm still reading Bryson's, At Home, and the last part of the book is quite hilarious, though there are plenty of shocking parts about people's lives and fortunes over the centuries, I can't remember the last time I laughed so much over the doings in a book. Diane

I’m glad things are better Jim, certainly hope that continues.

Kristine, I was wondering how Azalea is doing too.

You are being somewhat of an enabler, I love your Bolero and Eternal Flame‘s colors are lovely.

I hope my three Sunsprite bushes do good next year, I love this rose at its best. I had one that I had to shovel prune a couple of years ago, then I replaced it. It had been a good one, but had started having some issues. Last year I planted two more, then added another one this year, it would be a better rose where fungal disease isn’t a problem. But I really love it!

It has a wonderful fragrance! I know I’m crazy, but when I like a rose, I don’t want to give up on it!

Kind of the same way about Pink Peace, has done great for me some years, but not so much recently, but I love it!

Pink Peace. yummy color!

Azalea gets her helmet on Friday. We are celebrating Thanksgiving on Saturday so I will probably start her with it on Sunday because the first day it is on for an hour and off for an hour . That kid is a trooper for sure . I bet she will get used to it pretty quickly

Thanks so much for your thoughts and concerns

Diane, the garden is ok, thanks for asking. I can't get too enthusiastic about it! Also, the air is very smoky, which dulls my enthusiasm further. Mutabilis hasn't sent out any new growth after its chopping back to the graft, which leaves a rather large blank. I don't think it will recover now, but that's ok. Almost lost a newly planted tibouchina, as I forgot to ask Patrick to water it. However, it appears to be hanging in there.

Here are some photos:

Anna Olivier, chopped back to the graft, but not painted with Phyton, as I didn't think it could possibly come back

An oak leaf Hydrangea. No competition for flowers' beauty

Trish, your Anna Oliver is just delicious! I went straight to HMF to check the hardiness. Z6b. The two teas I tried last year were equally as hardy but they didn't make it through winter. I don't grow any oak leaf hydrangeas, but hope to one day. I love them and their woodsy look. Even with all these trees, I don't have a wooded area where I grow anything. Those would be a good plant to start with. But, who am I kidding! I have a hard time keeping up with the plants I already have. Beautiful daylily. Love pink and yellow together. Your achillea is very mannerly.

Sara Ann, you inspire me to add more color to my rose beds. I love seeing the saturated color in your roses, but I always go for the pastels when I'm buying. I need to branch out. Pink Peace definitely commands attention. It reminds me of Pretty in Pink Eden.

Kristine, how fortunate that Azalea is a little trooper. That'll make it so much easier on both of you.

The heating system broke down today. We have the fireplaces going and little space heaters in some rooms, but I just can't get warm. How spoiled we are! Thankfully, it's not as cold as it has been. Still raining, so nothing getting done outside.

Diane, I hope you've kicked that flu bug to the curb!! I bet someone coughed in your face when you were out and about. Take care of yourself.

Trish, I agree with Flowers that Anna Oliver is just delish! That soft pink is wonderful. And so is Summer Memories. I will do some research of those two. I am so pleased that your roses are coming back, and if you want to post more photos of them, we'd love it. That is a lovely daylily with such pretty coloring. I have to admit that for some reason, I can't grow achillea, which should grow in this climate really well. The mysteries of the garden never cease. I'm sorry to read you still have a plague of stink bugs. What has sickened the blasted bugs--too much lemon juice? Their little guts are being eaten out by citric acid--haha. I'm sorry that you have to put up with the smoke. I've just read a disturbing article about Australia's continuing droughts. We have got to get serious about climate change, starting with the idiot politicians. What's the latest on the fires around Sydney?

Flowers, I hope you've got your heating system up and running. I hate being cold, so I would have to check into a hotel if ours should break down. I'm dead serious about that. My friend a few miles away has lots of extra bedrooms, but she keeps her house too cold for me, and it would be as bad as a heating system breakdown. Call me spoiled. I do want your rain. So far, the weather gurus have lied to us about rain. I didn't have a flu bug, but more of a food poisoning. I found out other family members had it, but not as bad as what I got. Old age probably didn't help. We can't figure out what was the culprit, since we all ate the same thing, but not everyone got sick.

Beautiful roses, Sara Ann. I really like the last photo of Pink Peace that shows the blooms on the bush--lovely. Diane

Here I am posting again--where are the rest of you? I agree it's not a very inspiring time of year for a lot of us. California, southern Oregon, and Australia are exceptions. Of course, Trish has to put up with smoke. We finally got that rain--about .005 inch. Wow. Hopefully, we'll get another .005. What a joke our "rain" is. Then there is just enough wind to blow leaves back into the flower beds I've cleaned up because son in law won't finish blowing the lawn. But not everything has dropped its leaves. Here are the hills in September while it was still nice. Note hummingbird perched on the metal trellis. That's Evelyn in front of the hills. Diane

I've been going through my Evelyn photos. There are more photos of that rose than any other in my garden. Evelyn, like Augusta Luise, changes her color for no apparent reason, so in the following little album, I've tried to illustrate that. Diane

Wow, Diane! I'm considering digging up my own root Evelyn here and potting him up. My OR Alnwick with no roots looks better than the OR Evelyn in the ground. My grafted Evelyn in the ground is fine. Your Evelyns look fantastic.

Diane, as you say - the mysteries of the garden. I planted an achillea 'Cloth of Gold' in a different bed to where I have the others, around 6 years ago. It has flowered once - last year, after I threw alfalfa tea on it. I'm presuming that's what did the trick. It's got no flowers again this year. The others get no special treatment, and were planted 2 years ago, and flower their heads off. They are all in poor soil. Go figure. That reminds me, I might drive out today to pick up some alfalfa.

Your Evelyn is lovely in all its different colours, and so are those hills.

I picked off the stink bugs (wearing gloves) and dropped them in a bucket of soapy water. Got around a couple of hundred. I even chopped off the higher branches, as I couldn't reach them, but the lemon is looking so sick I think it's on the way out anyway. The gums at the bottom of the garden have grown so tall, it's not getting enough sun. I'm thinking of getting a dwarf one for a pot, but as I managed to kill 2 dwarf potted oranges, I'm hesitating.

flowers, of course, your beautiful hydrangea is a PG, I think? I had one, but it must have died. I only had a plain white one, but I think it may be possible to get the lovely pink and white ones now. I must look. Oak leaved hydrangeas are very hardy!

Sara-Ann, that is a lovely bush shot of Pink Peace.

Thank you everyone for the compliments on my pictures, I appreciate that.

Some lovely pictures Trish, I am fond of Tea Roses, but don’t have any, I’m afraid most of them would be too tender here. Love your Anna Olivier.

As usual Diane, more beautiful pictures, love your Evelyn, and the trellises with the hills for a backdrop are so lovely!

Kristine, I do hope everything goes good with Azalea transitioning to wearing the helmet, and it is good that she’s a trooper.

A couple of Kordes Lavenders

POSEIDON

QUICKSILVER

Just a thought, that has nothing to do with anything, made me smile today though. At the little newspaper office where I work, a gentleman came in and said he wanted to “renew his prescription,” and without missing a beat, also said he wanted to “pay for a prescription for his uncle.” I wonder how many people went to the pharmacy today to have their subscription refilled? I’m not making fun of him, I’m sure he knows the difference, just a couple of words that people get turned around from time to time!

Thanks everyone! Today was a good day but my wife still remains very quiet...

All these great uplifting photos! Fantastic everyone!

Everything here is all brown and frozen...lol

Nanadoll, I hope you get some much needed rain!

Time is flying by so fast soon the COW will be dropping here Nanadoll!...lol

I doubt your wife could find anyone as understanding as you, Jim. I wish she could count her blessings.

Yay, we have rain

Jim, I glad you had a good day, and hope tomorrow is even better. Everything here is brown and frozen, too, plus there are leaves everywhere. I hate them, and can't seem to get anywhere in the clean up. I'm going to steal some of Kristine's rain. Dagnabbit, Flowers has rain and now Kristine. Does the cow drop on New Year's Eve, or is it some other time? Before we know it, every town will be dropping its own special thing. Flowers town will drop a giant bag of pine needles, for example.

Sara Ann, thank you so much. And your Poseidon and Quicksilver are just spectacular. I wish I had room to grow them both. I think people mix up dozens and dozens of similar words without realizing it. I won't get started, or you'll drum me off the forum as part of the spelling and grammar police. I was raised by a grammar policewoman.

Trish, you've made me feel better about achillea. I thought it was one of those fool proof plants that could take over a garden. Your plague of stink bugs sounds like the invasion of blister beetles we had several years ago. There's really no way to get rid of them except by hand methods, using the gloves of death (just writing that makes me feel good). In my case, I popped the disgusting things, instead of drowning them. Could you grow a Meyer Lemon Tree in a container? I read that they are quite the superior hybrid. They're not 100% lemon, in fact. I hope the smoke has abated some. Are the fires under control yet? Diane

Diane, I would LOVE to share this rain with you. It was so muggy humid last summer I had black spot and now all this rain. I want my dry, no fungus climate back.

I hope you're feeling much better. Food poisoning is no joke. Better stick with ice cream and chocolate. Never heard of those two important food groups going bad.

Evelyn is one gorgeous rose in every shade. Mine don't change up as much as yours. I think Abe changes more. What a view you have from your patio. Clare ought to paint it.

Sara Ann, those are perfect specimens of Poseidon and Quick Silver, two of my favorites. i think the purples and lavenders are great with almost all other rose colors.

Trish, I've wanted to grow a potted Meyer lemon for years. They do very well indoors during winter. I was all set to find one this year, but have read everything about them is toxic to cats. Most cats would leave it alone as they don't like citrus, but Daisy nibbles on all my house plants. I only grow non-toxic ones, so it's ok, but limiting. So, I'm rethinking that idea. I'm not sure about the toxicity to dogs, but Rosie is no doubt smarter than Daisy and wouldn't try to eat it. You wouldn't have to bring yours inside for winter. Yes, most of my hydrangeas are PGs. I especially love the old original white one. It ages pink, then russet, I believe.

Jim, sounds like things might be looking up a bit. I hope so. As for the cow drop, I hope you get photos this year - before it hits, not after. If anyone wants to do a pine needle drop, I'll supply the pine needles. They just have to promise not to drop them in my yard.

Sheila, I meant to thank you for your comments. You know, I think Evelyn probably needs to be grafted to grow well. She's that kind of rose (or I could be very wrong). Do you have a photo of your in ground Evelyn? Campanula rotundifolia is still blooming--not like at its peak, but there are definitely blue bells still hanging in there. I should take bets on when it finally gives up--ha.

Flowers, I'm feeling pretty well finally, and of course, you are right. The cure is chocolate and ice cream, plus a few cookies. As I sit here, I can see the large Lindt chocolate bar lying next to the computer screen. It's been more than nibbled on. I'd like to grow a Meyer lemon tree, too. Those photos in Google images are gorgeous. I didn't know it was poisonous to cats. Our two would definitely sample it---the idiots. Show us some photos of your Evelyn and your Abe. I didn't know you grew them. I love all of your photos. Wishing I had your rain. Diane

I’m so glad you’re getting rain, Kristine.

Diane, thank you, I hope you get some rain soon too! So glad you’re feeling better. Personally, there are several roses I wish you had room for, then I could see pictures of how beautiful they can really be!

flowers, thank you, it would be nice if we could all get the right amount of rain, we’ve had way too much this year too, but it’s been the opposite here too!

Kristine, I got a glance of one of my Easy Does It pictures yesterday on my screen saver and thought of you. One of the things I enjoy about the forum is sharing what roses we have in common, but also understanding that we have varied tastes too.

EASY DOES IT

Thank you flowers for the warning about the Meyer lemon, I have been looking for one to grow indoors but I didn't realize it is toxic to cats. My cat insists on sampling all the house plants!

Sara Ann your Easy does it is beautiful! I am so happy with mine. I have 2, one is still in a pot but if I move one of my new, still tiny salvia I can get it out front with the other one . I was going to order Rosie the riveter but I already have an orange rose that needs a home so I have some moving around to .do

But I agree, it is fun to compare roses. They seem to do so differently in different locations . I sure hope that my Double Delight does well . I guess that I have always been nervous to try that one. I have heard that they are persnickety.

Diane, you had food poisoning?? Good grief that has to be the worst thing ever. I'm glad that you are feeling better, yikes!

Jim, prayers for your home and family.

Contemporaneously with the second Fall photo is Alnwick in the pot who had no roots in March. It is also an own root plant.

Strange about those roots, Sheila, but I'm glad The Alnwick rebounded. Diane, take care food poisoning is the worst!

Sheila, what a miraculous recovery your Alnwick has made, and blooming, no less. I broke off a good portion of mine with a wayward hose a few years ago and what wasn't a good shape to begin with looked even worse for years. Mine is slow to produce new canes. I'm hoping 2020 will be her year. Your Evelyns look a ton better than mine.

Sara Ann, Easy Does It is blooming it's head off! Your roses are all so floriferous and have such good color. Looks like we're all going to have to learn how to deal with new weather patterns for our various areas. Every year brings something different than what we're used to.

Joey, I was shocked that so many house plants are toxic and even poisonous to cats. There's almost no place I can put plants that Daisy can't get to. The citrus forum folks, where I went to get a recommendation for a mail order source, said it's probably a non issue since cats shy away form the smell of citrus. That may be true for some cats, but not mine. Orchids and African violets are safe. Most palms and ferns are ok. The list of dangerous ones is long.

Abe this summer during thrip season. Didn't take any Evelyn pics. They've been disappointing.

I moved this full grown Abe a couple years ago, during growing season, and he didn't seem to notice he'd been cut back, dug up, roots chopped off, and replanted. He never skipped a beat.

I'd give up chocolate to have an Abe that bloomed like that. Stunning is all I can say. This is my Twig Darby's last year if he doesn't improve.

Sheila, Alnwick looks wonderful. I love its cup shaped blooms.

Sara Ann, what a great photo of your bloom machine, Easy Does It. I love that rose. I grew one for several years, but the awful winter of 2016-17 damaged it a lot, and for a few more years it grew backwards (my take on this is that EDI is not very cold hardy). So, in spite of some lovely blooms, I put the miserable little thing out of its misery. But I'd like to try again to grow it. Diane

I think that first photo is Augusta Luise that I mislabeled as Easy Does It. The second pic is definitely EDI. It really produced some nice blooms. I need to try it again. Diane

This is in a good cause. My son, Nathan Wendel, is involved In the fight against prostate cancer. It took his grandfather’s life, and his dad, my DH, was diagnosed with it a few years ago.

At 31, hopefully Nathan Is many years away from having to deal with this issue, but I’m glad his employer, Flowspace.com, is sponsoring this. Here is the pitch:

“Hello family and family friends,
I'm raising money and awareness for prostate cancer through Movember with a group of people from work.
I will grow my mustache or beard over the course of November, because that's how this works! But since I may not see a lot of you in that time, I'm sending this because AWARENESS.

If you want, please feel free to donate, in any amount, at this link:https://mobro.co/14076971

Feel free to let me know if you have any issues with the site.”

I took this picture last Sunday. I think he looks like Trotsky .. or maybe some Latin American poet of great distinction.

Thanks,

Sylvia

Thanks for the heads up! What a handsome son. : ))

Today was good! Wife still extra quiet towards me though... Thanks everyone for the best wishes!

Wonderful photos everyone! Very uplifting!

Sara Ann, your Easy Does it make me so jealous...lol...That was a favorite of mine but it will not keep leaves on here...:-( Tried it twice... Completely leafless by August...So jealous...lol

Nice blooms on your EDI too Nanadoll!

Good thing your son is doing Sylvia Wendel ! I hope he does break the chain!

Sylvia, yes you do have a handsome son, and what a great cause.

Thank you Kristine, flowers, Diane and Jim! That EDI picture was from 2018, I’m afraid mine might be doing what Diane's did. 2018 was its third season, so it leaped, then this spring I had to prune it way back, by August It had put on some good new growth and was blooming nonstop. I hope it makes it through the winter okay, it is somewhat tender. I tend to show my roses at their best. At some point most of my roses look like I know what I’m doing, but with many of them that’s a rare occurrence! Beautiful pictures of Augusta Luise and Easy Does It Diane! And What gorgeous blooms of Abe Darby, flowers, what a lovely rose! Jim, you have some very beautiful and healthy roses. I really admire your Earth Song.

Believe it or not, it’s raining again! Started raining this afternoon, I think it’s going to rain all night.

I’ll feature another rose at its best. The first picture is from 2018, the second from 2019. actually liked the color better from 2019, but it looked much neater in 2018. These are partial shots, if I showed the whole bush, I would need the pruning and shaping fairies to visit my yard! I do love MME ERNEST CALVAT, both the color and fragrance!

Wow! Wow is that a climber? Is it healthy? I love those flowers that like little pom poms.

Thank you vaporvac, yes, MEC is a Climber here, and yes it’s healthy, but after a nice spring flush will only have an occasional bloom in the early fall. It’s usually one of the first roses to bloom, so I always look forward to that. I think the blooms get a little prettier every year. I’m thinking I planted it in 2014.

Sylvia, your son has a good heart. My husband has had prostate cancer for about 3 years. There's not much they can do for it in older men. You just live with it unless it's the less common aggressive kind. His PSA levels can be controlled somewhat with diet. He's not as careful as I wish he would be, but when he sticks to a diet of mostly veggies and no sugar, his numbers go down dramatically. I hope it's one thing Nathan never has to deal with.

Sara Ann, MEC is a rose I have loved for as long as I've known about roses. I've heard she might not like cold winters, so I've never tried her here. I'm sure I would love how the whole bush looks. I prefer roses that sprawl all over the place, so I'm sure I would appreciate her form before she gets a shaping and pruning.

Diane, thank you for the kind words about Abe. I assure you, you don't have to give up anything to have a stronger one. Just dig Twiggy up and get yourself a grafted one.

That's Love Song late in the season. Previous photos are Twilight Zone and Augusta Luise.

Just checking in...Basically things still the same here...Up in the air...

Great photos!

Great colors on that last one Nanadoll!

Diane, that second photo drew a long 'oooohhhhh' from me. So lovely.

I'm having to type one-handed, as Rosie is asleep on my arm. This is her a few minutes ago

Trish, I thought Rosie was asleep in your bed. But now she's asleep on your arm. Goodness. I'm awful--the cats are barely allowed into my bedroom, let alone into my bed. Of course, Clancy has an icky sneezing problem. Thanks, for your comment on Love Song. Is she available in Australia? I think that rose would love your weather. Snooty magazine "Travel and Leisure", features Australia as its "destination of the year". I haven't read it yet, but one writer chronicles his 1242 mile drive from Perth to Ningaloo Marine Park. I think he's interested in the coral reef (which I've read is having problems). How is the smoke at your place? Has your daughter made it to Melbourne yet (or I am all mixed up again?)? It's getting colder here, and I'm going out to do more cleanup. They are predicting snow in a few days--gah. More premature winter.

Thanks, Jim. I wish for things to come down out of the air for you. Thinking of you. Diane

ahhh Rosie! Slumbering away! :-)

Thanks Nanadoll! Thanks everyone!

Nothing has changed here...But I'm staying positive!

Diane, every time you post one of your Love Song photos, I lose drool control. Can’t wait for my two to arrive in February.

Titian, (tongue in cheek) is the Nullarbor Plain like one of those ghastly landscapes in Mad Max? Is it like that song by Midnight Oil,

”The Western Desert

lives and breathes

in forty-five degrees”?

Tongue back to normal, I love deserts. They all seem to have something growing somewhere, as well as interesting birds and colorful rock formations. I saw a show on “Australia’s First Million Years” - most fascinating. Lucky you!

I started a NEW seasonal thread...

See you all there...

Click below:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5828347/fall-is-here-seasonal-thread-part-6

Drool control... hilarious!

I started a NEW seasonal thread...

See you all there...

Click below:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5828347/fall-is-here-seasonal-thread-part-6