The Victorian style of gardening was dead, dead, dead right around 1900. It survived in public parks and railroad stations but most people had come to dislike it intensely. One of its chief features was the bedding-out of annuals, both flowering and foliage plants. I am now seeing some of these foliage plants, like coleus, so popular in the 1800s, popular again. Huge foliage plants such as cannas were also big with the Victorians and scorned after 1900. William Robinson and Gertrude Jekyll began a revolution in English gardens. They advocated naturalistic planting styles and perennials. They also wrote books. Jekyll designed gardens for the very rich in England, never stirring from her hidden home at Munstead Wood, which I have had the great good fortune to visit. Jekyll was inspired by English cottage gardens but her gardens were planned for the upper class. Her books were very popular and well-to-do Americans bought them with enthusiasm. However, American gardeners soon found that English garden books do not translate very well in our climate. A whole new garden literature, most of it written by women gardeners, arose. These books were, I believe, the largest influence on American gardens from 1900 til WW2. They generally showed naturalistic groups of perennials in geometric beds. Borders were hugely popular, as well as the style described above, so often with a sundial at the center. Sorry for the long post!

I looked up Broken Dishes quilt block. I compared it to the windmill pattern and they look the same. Sometimes it is frustrating when a pattern has more than one name. One time I was in a restaurant bathroom and noticed an interesting tile pattern on the floor. My husband thought something was wrong because I was taking so long in the bath room. He laughed when I told him I was drawing the tile pattern that is on the floor. Suellen Here is a link that might be useful: Broken dishes pattern

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Rhododendrons: species, hybrids and cultivars. Unless you know your neighbours have exactly the same plant comparisons are not meaningful. Apart from which yours might just be younger.

Thanks, everyone. I guess I'm not the only one dealing with this skin thing. Spoke to my daughter today, she's 46 and told her what happened to my arm and how thin my skin has gotten. She said she notices her skin bruises and cuts easier and just seems thinner. The dog I watch weighs about 65lbs and loves coming to stay with me. I love her dearly. But her care is not the greatest. I always had large dogs and always trained them not to jump. We had three Rottweilers all close to 100lbs or over. I made sure they would never jump on me or anyone else. That training starts in puppy-hood. Unfortunately, this dog has had little training. But I adore her and will not say anything to her owner for fear he'd take it out on her. However, her nails are horrible. For some reason they are very sharp and broken causing very sharp, wooden like nails. She just got me without warning. Two weeks ago I was pruning some rose bushes in front of the house when my cell phone (in my back pocket) rang. I turned to answer it and got nailed by a bush. Nasty, bleeding. That is just healing, and now this!. I thought maybe there was some sort of supplement I could take, but I guess its age. Mdln, thank you for that interesting graph. I guess its natural. I had been worried about bruising which happens frequently. I seem to bump my arms into the car doors, cabinets, etc. I now grab an ice pack and put pressure on it to stop the bruising. Obviously, can't have ice packs everywhere you go. Bee, I agree! My hair is so thin especially on the left side where I had Shingles. I can see my scalp and am really thinking of a wig. Its so hot here in Florida, the thought of wearing a wig seems impossible. Thanks again, everyone! Jane