Nancy: I was holding out on this one.lol I kept this one much warmer than the others. One side did open a more peachy color, but that side was closest to the walls of the greenhouse. The other side was facing center of the greenhouse where it is always warmer. It must be difficult for those that live in cooler areas to bring them to this color without sticking them in a location that stays above 70 every day, sheesh. Thank goodness for my greenhouse. Yours are just as lovely! Thank you. Mike

Yeah I think you're right about the white; looked again today and it was gone. The scale on the last plant if there is subtle, but how about the numerous non-subtle brown spots, some of which look eaten into the leaf? Some kind of mite? If so, here's the combo I've come up with: Acephate - Amazon: "97UP 1lb bag Generic Orthene Insect & Fire Ant Killer" - http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05507.html says "Insecticide with some effectiveness against spider mites. Systemic." Forbid 4F - eBay: "Free Forbid 4F Miticide Spiromesifen 1/4 OZ free gift when u purchase 3 pipettes" - "Like Avid, it is translaminar. The active ingredient, spiromesifin, while not systemic (i.e., it does not move through the plant’s vascular system like, for example, Merit does), is absorbed by the plant’s leaves and will move from the tops of the leaves to the bottoms where the mites feed." A lot of the more mainstream systemic products use Imidacloprid, and while they don't claim to work against mites, they also don't mention that one reason that spider mites become a problem is insecticides [such as Imidacloprid] that kill their natural predators.

Thanks for your compliments. Honestly, that arrangement WAS effortless. I did it outside as I deadheaded. Golden Buddha and partner, clematis ‘Franziska Marie’ are looking too nice not to share today. I just love all the dark to light color progressions Golden Buddha’s blooms go through. Felicia is really blooming well. A little spotty from the rain, but still pretty. Felicia’s blooms have a special sheen to them, impossible to capture with my phone camera. Carding Mill A nice new cane coming up in the middle of Carding Mill. Lisa

As the colors are rendered on my computer, it looks like you did a good job choosing a cabinet stain that plays well with the honey oak. I don't mind the combo, really, and think that a wise choice in wall paint would help to pull it together more. I wouldn't say that one should never have different colors in adjoining spaces like yours, but they do need to match in warmth and tone. I don't think the kitchen and adjoining room do. You do have to work with the very pretty counter, though, which seems to have some cooler gray in it, and the backsplash perhaps even more? Look for a warmish-neutral greige that works with all the elements. Getting a color consult, if you have a local chain (like Sherwin Williams) that offers one, might simplify things. Even if you paint the honey oak, I think that you will still need to then work on unifying the rest of the elements with a good wall color. The brick doesn't bother me either- to my eye it is fairly neutral, even with the reddish tone - red can be a neutral when subdued like yours is.