This thread began as a means to discuss the issue of Sunset zones. The secondary motive was for me to try to explore the notion that elevation is a factor to RMG but not the only factor. Over the course of looking at climate data, I discovered that annual precipitation and the time of its occurrence may be a defining feature for the RMG region. Aridity cannot be the only determinate or wed all be over in the Southwest Gardening forum. Previous and somewhat naively, I had thought that these evergreen mountains here and there indicated that there were areas with rather high rainfall amounts - what hadn't quite sunk in was that while that is true, these areas were all at elevations where gardening becomes impossible. I began wondering if a particular native plant species was representative of the broad RMG region. I'm no expert on native plants so this was a fun exercise even if it doesn't appear to be absolutely successful (perhaps, an impossibility). It seemed to me that the Arrowleaf Balsamroot was most broadly representative. I'm hoping that other gardeners are giving this some thought and will comment. By way of encouragement, my question now is - what the heck is this plant whose image is used here on GardenWeb to represent Rocky Mountain Gardening: Steve

Christy, either because I'm a congenital dunce, or I've lost brain cells painting all day (probably both), I couldn't come up with any pics when I searched "cburch". Did I do that right? Without seeing it...first off, I love the idea of the suede finish on the walls. I've never used it, but I like it a lot. Does it handle moisture and drips well, and is it scrubbable? I think I can picture your lay-out. I had a hall bath like that in a previous house. Hubby used the MBR bath, I used the one in the hall, and it was closest to the public spaces, so guests used it, too. I chose to paint it one or two (don't remember) "chips" lighter than the predominant color in our living room, so the house seem tied together for guests, etc. So, I like your idea of choosing either one of the other colors you've used, or one of the colors from a color card you've used. That feels cohesive, to me. It sounds like you have some really pretty colors in the house to work from. Of them...This is just my own opinion, but I would personally avoid the taupe family in a small room without windows. Taupe is beautiful in the right setting, but (again, JMO) can get muddy if natural light is low. The yellow/gold tones will be warm and cozy on dreary or cold (if you live in the North) winter mornings. That's nice, but remember they'll make the walls advance. Something related to the sage you've used elsewhere will make the walls recede, green being a cool color, so you may like that since the room seems small to you. Something sagey will also look nice with the silver/nickel tone fixtures you're thinking of and the off-white ceramics. I would just go lighter on the sage color card, rather than darker (again, only my personal preference). If you want something different, another family I think would go nicely with your yellow/gold/sages would be something in a terra cotta. But maybe, since you're having a hard time deciding, you would do better to approach this from the other direction. Pick out either a shower curtain first, one that makes you swoon, or towels and a bath rug in delicious colors, or pretty ceramic or pottery accessories that you just love. Take the paint cards with the colors that appear in your house and go shopping for one or more of those things first. Find something that works with the rest of your house palette. If you do it that way, you should then be able to find something among your house colors (or one or two steps up or down) that you'll just know is right. I know what you mean re not replacing the towel bars. First of all, once they have the towels on them, they don't show much, anyway. Plus...it's always a bear to find the studs ;-). Be sure to let us know what you decide! redbazel--Smiling sympathetically at your hubby's little "goof", which I think in this case turned out to be fortuitous. :-D I really like the "feel" of that bath; seems welcoming and cocoon-y, yet...

Sue, the Etap hotel is a few steps below a motel 6...quite a few steps in fact. LOL! The rooms were tiny, which were expected but the floor was really grungy and the toilet/shower area were a one piece porta potty plastic unit that had been put into a corner of the room. It was very small and the floor area by the toilet got soaked when you showered. The shower stall area was barely big enough to turn around in. Now I wish I had taken a picture! Patti, I think the house I used to live in was torn down and a new one put in it's place, there were a lot of new homes there. The town was very small, just one street with one tiny restaurant and a coffin maker. That was it...not even a post office. Stacy, yeah, I think I should've learned after our trip out west. Some of it was fun but for the most part they weren't interested in a lot of it. I've downloaded my pictures and will start posting them. Wish I had taken more videos, they are pretty funny because they are so BAD! LOL!

Hey Stush, I've seen the purple sheath on Sulcata too. Yes, dawei only produces 2 or 3 leaves per plant. So not exactly a pretty rosette but size and width of leaves are impressive, and it's very uncommon. Popmama, personally I think Siam Silver and Sayuri are just renamings of Manolyn. I've never grown Sayuri so I'm reluctant to say that but it looks exactly like Manolyn to me. The only difference between Manolyn and Siam Silver was the latter was touted as rust-free. I have it from two different sources and it gets rust just as bad as Manolyn, so I've concluded that some seller renamed Manolyn to sell it as something new. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Sayuri is supposed to be from Aubrytiana, which is hard to believe since it's identical to Manolyn, which is a metallica variety. I'd sure like someone to root a leaf cutting of Sayuri and see what comes up. I'm betting on metallica, not Aubrytiana. And that would settle the mystery.