Diane even your sign and little chair looks wonderful =). Someone must have really liked it to do such a horrible thing Andy take your sign. Maybe it was a very smart deer. Rangiku is certainly very smart ( I think most cats are very smart). She also knows those she can must easily trick as well =). Today is her 7 birthday. We will be celebrating with some extra gravy lovers.

Jim I wish could send you my Fiji. It doesn’t repeat very well, but it had a wonderful spring flush. I know your patience and your love will make her bloom beautifully next spring. Some of these as Diane pointed out just take longer. I am sure next year it will get better.

Kristine I want your weather. I think we will be jumping from 70s today to 39 tomorrow evening. I bet your roses are going to love the water to go with the nice temps.

Those few night below freezing did the garden in. Now, it's back to warm days in the 60s and above freezing at night with a disgusting looking garden. Deadheading is not recommended in this climate because it stimulates new growth.

Awww, Dianela, what a lovely photo of you and your sweet Rangiku. She looks as small as a kitten. Is Sphinx a small breed? You can't be more than 18! Do we call you Dr.? Your family must be so proud of you. Happy birthday, Rangiku. Wishes for all the kitty treats your heart desires.

Diane I just scrolled down the thread again and realized I missed one of your previous comments. You choice of major and minors is super awesome and interesting. You are a very interesting person. I would have certainly failed if I would have tried taking any more math that my prerequisites for med school. I am not sure about the magazine and Florence, but it is a cute little city.

Aww thank you very much Flowers for such kinds comments. Certainly no Dr. around here =) for me. I only get that from my staff and definitely not from my friends. You are all my friends. I am getting close to mid 30s now =). Thank you again for your kind words. Maybe if I don’t look and feel too old I can still have a baby when I am done with residency. The Sphinx breed is a good muscular mid size breed. Rangiku has always been on the small side barely making it to 8lbs.

Dianela, what s pretty picture of you and your kitty. I bet she likes to cuddle up and keep warwarm

Honestly, this is the best weather, a bit warmer than usual . I dont have much blooming but I think we are all ready for a break so that is ok

I am still working on a new bed

3 Boscobel. If I have room something white and purple delphiniums

But first, lots of digging, more roots and rocks, yay.

My grandson decided to have his wedding on a 5 day cruise . Isn't he a smart boy to take us all on his honeymoon. Not until next Dec so plenty of time to save and lose

Wonderful pic dianela! Rangiku looks cozy warm...

Diane I just love everything you grow it's all so similar to what I'm working on creating on a smaller scale right now.

Kristine, a wedding on a cruise sounds amazing. I am sure you will have such a wonderful time see to him getting married. Enjoying the honeymoon is definitely a plus =)

Kristine I bet that new bed is going to look marvelous. Boscobel is one of my favorite Austin’s. Mine is small still, but fingers crossed next year will be it. =) when you said “something white” did you mean a white rose? If so, I would highly recommend Desdemona. Her blooms are so soft and they go beautifully with Boscobel’s. You may already have her and want to try something else. Whatever you put together will look beautiful. I hope you have very few rocks and roots left to remove. Don’t you love those beautiful perfect beds on the botanical gardens? If only garden beds could magically appear in our gardens as needed. I think it was Lilyfinch who mentioned it would be nice to have an App in your phone that could get it done. I would very much like that some times.

Went out to cut down perennials today. It has been cold here near Boston. Sweet Fragrance has continued blooming but its foliage is getting a bit spotty.

There's a lot of yellow in my garden right now:

Louisiana iris in the frog pond

Iris pseudocoris (with Maris van Houtte behind), don't know why it's come out this colour, it's actually an acid yellow

Phlomis

And for a bit of contrast, a gold-tipped bottlebrush

Dianela, I have to agree with flowers that you look about eighteen, and make a lovely companion to your elegant little kitty. I hope your Boscobel keeps pleasing you. It is a steady grower, but it doesn't throw out the long floppy canes that some Austin roses do. Thank you for your nice comments, but I'm sure your pathology work is far more demanding than any math I studied back in prehistoric times. And I do wish there was a phone app or some kind of magic wand that produces perfectly dug flower beds. I need a few new ones to get my roses away from the blasted trees.

Flowers, I'm sorry you had those !@#$% early freezes, and now have to stare at the dead stuff. I have had that happen many a time, too. I don't remove the tops of lots of my perennials because I think it winter protects them, plus penstemon and others grow on both old and new "wood" (I know they're not woody), but some penstemon act a lot like subshrubs. Anyway, around February, my garden is pretty much disgusting. I do a lot of fall clean up, but it's mostly annuals and leaves, and maybe, some trimming.

Kristine, I can't believe you are old enough to have a grown up grandson. I thought flowers and I were the only ones to claim that, uh, honor. But a cruise ship wedding sounds fabulous. Give Bosco a try. I like that rose so much better than Princess Alexandra of Kent.

Jwus, how great that you live in Boston. I have lots of fond memories of Boston. My first college roommate was from Newton, and she's still a friend after 54 years. Sweet Fragrance has an exquisite color. And how is its fragrance? I don't know anything about this rose. Don't give up on Ballerina--she's a great rose. Did yours defoliate from black spot?

Trish, it's so good to see more photos of your garden. I love lots of yellows, and those iris are quite lovely with their soft color. What kind of iris is a pseudocoris? I like the nonbearded iris best. Your bottlebrush is pretty cool. Isn't that a good plant for dry climates? How are the froggies doing? Sooo many questions. Diane

Heheh, that's dead stuff in my "habitat" from a previous year. I hope this makes you feel better, flowers.

Pippa, what a nice thing to say. I hope you'll share photos of your garden as it develops. More power to yellow houses.

I had a wonderful garden experience this afternoon. I wasn't feeling too well, so I drug my old rattan rocker down to the back flower bed where there was a patch of sun--our tall house's shadow grows longer in back as we get into fall. I was practically sitting in the flower bed, and I was immediately surrounded by the sounds of birds, as they flitted and flew toward the freshly filled feeders. The goldfinch said, "hello, hello" amid much twittering (the real kind), while the blasted quail cooed and clicked out warnings. There were dozens of bees all over the penstemon, still blooming, especially my big garnet colored plant with the long tubules. As I drunk it all in, I felt a slight touch on my pant leg, and there was a tiny goldfinch hopping up my leg, just looking around and quite at home. The little bird hopped down the top of my bare foot--the incredible feeling of such delicate little feet was like a garden sprite. The goldfinch paused a bit, and then flew back to the Nyjer thistle feeder. I quite suddenly remembered a short poem I had written 30 years ago when I was creating a small book of garden themed designs for a client. The little garden poem was centered amidst my drawing of flowers, bees and butterflies. Diane

Blessings on my garden,

On flower and bird and bee

Whose scent and song and humming

Are wondrous gifts to me.

Diane, about knowing anything else at all about you, I know all I need to know from your above post. You description takes me to that spot in Your Rocker and your poem fills me with joy!

Diane, what a blessed afternoon. I love your poem. How extraordinary that the bird landed on you. It is like a fairy tale. Perhaps it was sitting over your shoulder years ago when you wrote the poem. Were the designs for a garden or for fabrics, or what? You are a woman of many talents. I wish my penstemon looked anything like yours. And what a pretty dahlia.

The froggies have been playing night tennis - or so it sounds like. And they appear to have been quite busy in other departments going by the wriggling in the pond. Iris pseudocoris grows in boggy areas and shallow water. It's common in England at the edge of lakes. It's extremely vigorous! The bottlebrush is good for dry areas, as are many Australian natives. I have a pocket of native plants at the bottom of the garden for the birds.

dianela, I agree with flowers and Diane!

The roses are essentially done other than a few here and there, and those aren't the best looking. The lavender has put out another flush and has been blooming for over a month.

The fall crocuses (Crocus speciosus) are looking great this year. I have them planted between the flagstones in my courtyard. I wish I could show how those goblets seem to catch the sunlight within them and then they just glow.

Nanadoll: I love your poem. Your garden is such an inspiration for me.

Oh Diane, what a lovely experience to have nature include you and your poem should be on a sign in every garden.

I have never seen fall crocus, how beautiful .

Yes, I am old enough to have a grandson getting married. I have 12 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Christmas has gotten really expensive lol

We got booked for the wedding cruise 2019. It looks like about 30 people are going . I love to cruise, it is my one opportunity to dress up

Thank you, friends. You are all an inspiration to me, too. What a wonderful group of people you are, all doing so many interesting things. I'll be back later, but I have to say how much I love your lavender, noseo. It certainly outshines mine. The color of yours is outstanding. What varieties do you grow? Diane

What a lovely poem Diane. Your are very talented in many areas. Would it be too much for me to ask you to please allow me to use your poem in my garden. I agree with Kristine it should be in every garden to lifts our spirits and share your love for roses.

I think it would be so sweet on a garden sign

I am pooped, more digging and weeding ing but I got a lot done.

While I was out I found some pretty end of fall blooms.

My hollyhock from Annies has bloomed all season .

Earth Angel

Olivia Austin

Olivia Austin still pumping out the blooms.

Diane, your poem says so well what is in every gardener's heart. I wish you would post the entire page of the poem with your drawings. God's little creatures know where they're safe, and your goldfinch choose you for a safe place to rest. Your 'scruffy' photo looks like my entire garden. From your other photos, you still have a lot of pretties. My gaura, Rosy Jane, still looks ok and some of the roses still have green foliage. Florentina is still blooming! Everything else is falling into a winter slumber. Oh, except for that crazy iris with two buds trying hard to open.

Trish, your iris looks naturalized and I like the softer color, too. The only bottle brush I'm familiar with is a tree. I remember my mother being so taken with it. Yours looks more like a shrub than the one we had.

That lavender in your photo, Noseometer, looks like what I just planted. Love it! The large one in the background looks great against the warm gray of the wall.

Kristine, 12 grands and 12 greats?? How fun!! Holidays must be wild and crazy with that many little ones. I have 1 wee little great. I should have lots of greats, but all my grands just keep going to school collecting degrees and not getting married. Your end of fall blooms are beautiful. That's the pinkest Earth Angel I've seen. Every time I see your Olivia, I think I need one, but others have said she takes 3 years to bloom, and that discourages me.

Yes, every event is pretty wild lol

I guess I got super lucky with Olivia. This is her second season

What will next year be like? I cant wait to see.

One weird thing, Fiji is just loaded with blooms but they are all turned away from me. I could understand if it was reaching for the sun, but totally turned toward the fence so I cant even see them

Kristine you are so fortunate to have such a wonderfully large family. I bet all those "pretty wild" holidays are a ton of fun.

Awesome poem & photos Nanadoll! :-) WOWER!

Wonderful pics Kristine, noseometer, titian1, jwusauk... :-)

Rainy cool here today...And windy ...lol

Thanks for your positive comments about my lavender and garden!

Diane, the lavender is either Vicenza Blue or Ellagance. I bought both as seeds and I got the seedlings mixed up. I think it is primarily Vicenza Blue though. It certainly blooms much more than any other lavender that I've had, such as Hidcote, or Hidcote Superior. I think I'm going to replace all my Hidcote with it. I bought plants from the local nursery labelled Ellagance, and they don't look at all like these. They look more like 'Provence' so maybe they were mislabeled.

Flowersaremusic, the big lavender plant against the wall is a Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage). It's about 4 feet tall. I think the color works well with the lavender, don't you think? It's very similar in color to 'Ellen's Blue' butterfly bush.

Noseometer, I should have recognized the perovskia! I've just taken out a bunch so I can plant roses in that area. I'll be buying more. They had gotten woody and didn't bloom as much anymore. It's beautiful with lavender and extends the blue color. Can you grow Mexican Sage in your zone?

Jim, your pets know exactly what to do on a cool, rainy and windy day.

Jim your pets are adorable. I can imagine you relaxing there with them.

@ Kristine: your Earth angel is a much nicer pink that mine. I want more pink blooms.

Thank you Dianela, it is new this summer so each bloom is such a treat . I have had some that are pure white, some with a blush and some more pink. You never know what you will get with these babies

Flowersaremusic: The problem with Perovskia is that it sends runners everywhere, as much as 15 or more feet from the parent plant. But it tolerates, even relishes, the dry sunny climate here, and has such a long season of bloom. The bees love it. It has that great soft lavender-blue color. It does have a similar size and form as Salvia leucantha? Is that the Mexican sage your asking about? It can survive the lower elevations of the city, but typically freezes to the ground, and sort of just survives enough to bloom in the fall there. That's okay with me, since I'm not that fond of the red-purple, I like purples to be more blue. The other Mexican sage that grows here is Salvia chamaedryoides, or Mexican blue sage. This one does fine here, and I love the color. Mine is getting a little scraggly now at the end of the season. I just ran out and took some photos.

Noseometer, I had very little trouble with Russian Sage suckering here - not enough to care about because they were in a bed all to themselves with a few butterfly bushes, mainly to add color to the far end of the garden until I could get to it and plant roses, which I've been doing the last 2 years. The Mexican Sage I remember from my zone 10 days is Salvia Leucantha, as you thought it might be. You're right about the color being more red, but I knew it before I knew about Russian Sage, and it always seemed like the 'real' one to me. The flowers are more like chenille. It would definitely be an annual here, if I could even find it. As for Salvia Chamaedryoides, that's a new one to me. I like the delicate lacy look and the true blue color. I could see a lot of uses for it. Proven Winners has a dwarf Russian Sage that I would like to find. All these are so good with roses of any color and with other perennials, too.

I love those Greggi salvia

My new obsession lol

I have them in pink, burgandy, red, Hot Lips , purple and fuchia. Bees love them and the bugs dont.

Here is one that needs to move, between it and Memorial Day it is getting really crowded

Nice lavender & Blue color noseometer!

Remembering the time I visited my son in Chicago and while seeing sights I layed my cookies on a bench to take pictures and a squirrel run off with them...lol

Remembering the MIRACLE PANSY...We never grew a Pansy before and this one appeared one day out of the blue.. It lived through winter and continued to bloom until it was ready to leave...

This appeared shortly after my sister passed away from cancer... She liked Pansies and this was her favorite colors...SO?

Oh, Jim, between cats attacking your ankles and squirrels stealing your cookies....and you're such an animal lover, too, though now they seem to have made their peace with you. I got bit by a squirrel at the Portland, Oregon, zoo. I remember having a picnic in an Idaho ghost town, and the chipmunks would run right across the picnic blanket and steal the food off your plate. They are so cute, but they are all after a free meal. I loved that pansy and remember it well. We all hoped it was a sign from your sister, and that the pansy would live on, but it did pretty darn well against all odds.

Kristine, I'm going to check out that salvia next spring. I've grown some interesting annual salvia. This year I tried a dark purple one called "Love and Wishes". I also recommend the stunning Windwalker Garnet penstemon. Boy do the bees love that one. By the way, Earth Angel and Olivia Rose are so beautiful, but they look a lot alike. I love your hollyhock, which I could have sworn was a hibiscus until I saw those hock buds!

Noseo, I'm going to try one of those lavenders you mentioned--they are stunning. The new lavender I grew this year hasn't impressed me at all--it's called Phenomenal-not, but a lot of hype and at a higher price, too. I'm confused--those photos you show above are not Russian sage, right, but Mexican sage? I love the color. I don't think my Russian sage have sent out runners anywhere in our wretched dirt, though once in a great while, they will produce a seedling.

Dianela, please feel free to use that poem in any way you like. And post photos, too. Thank you for your nice comments.

I'm remembering Eglantyne, the rose almost destroyed by the deer last spring. She stills soldiers on, but wasn't able to produce many blooms, and she's so thin (too much shade, too). These photos are from 2017, I think. Diane

Diane, how beautiful!

Diane, are your roses still blooming? I'm so jealous. I'm very impressed by Vincenza Blue lavender. It's like a super-powered 'Hidcote'. Similar in size and color, but way more flowers. The only downside to them that I see, is that in the winter most of them look dead. Not just winter grey but dead. Well, except for one plant, and I'm going to try to take cuttings from it next spring. I'm going to plant more seeds next year also. I got my seeds from Swallowtail Garden Seeds.

Yes, the photos above are Mexican Blue Sage (Salvia chamaedryoides), also known as Germander sage, one of my favorite colors also. As you can tell, I'm big on blues through violets. I'll try to grow anything that's in that range of color. And it's a great color to set off the roses. If it weren't for the roses, my garden would be mostly blue/violet. Does Salvia 'Mystic Spires' or 'Indigo Spires' overwinter for you? They need a huge amount of water though and die to the ground in the winter, and are slow to emerge in the spring. In my mother's California garden, 'Indigo Spires' is a big mess 5' tall and in bloom all year round.

I wish my Russian Sages didn't act like they wanted to take over the world. I'm mostly okay with them but sometimes it is too much. This wall is about 5 feet tall, and this, the larger of my plants, is at least as tall as me. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of suckers popping up all along the wall and the driveway, forming a scraggly groundcover under the pine trees. There are occasional seedlings all over the entire yard. I wouldn't be surprised if it gets on the invasive species list here. And this year when pruning it, a tiny sliver got under the skin of my arm and even though I pulled out, it festered for two months. Reminder to self, next year: long sleeves.

Wonderful photos Nanadoll & noseometer! :-)

Diane, when I looked up Love and Wishes salvia, I came across Kisses and Wishes salvia. Love both! Eglantyne is dreamy. She's one of my favorite light pink Austins. May even like her more than Spirit of Freedom, especially after this year of 100% of the blooms balled of both bushes.

Noseometer, sounds like that Russian Sage you got in your arm wanted to grow there. They're not aggressive in my zone. Thank goodness!

Diane, my deer (who would eat ANYTHING) were not interested in my Russian sage at all. Maybe a perovskia hedge might deter them. But, having similar conditions as Noseometer, it might get invasive.

Flowers, I've had Russian sage in back in crucial spots, but I usually combine it with boxwood and lavender, along with butterfly bush and four o'clocks, slightly toxic like morning glories, to deer. None of this is much deterrence, though I think deer hate boxwood the most of all. It smells like cat pee. The deer here (mule deer) seem to be only interested in roses and occasionally tomatoes. They go for the blooms, buds, and growing tips of the rose. For some reason, they went beyond this typical damage when it came to Eglantyne, and they reduced her size a bit, and left a half dozen leaves on the poor rose. Any other flowering plant or shrub they don't seem to care about with two exceptions: a certain dianthus (Raspberry Surprise) that they wouldn't leave alone, and pumpkins, which they tried to bite. Mainly they just marked up the pumpkins with their teeth. I suppose if I had a lot of hosta and tulips they would destroy those. Thanks for your nice comments on Eglantyne. I'm not doing right by her, leaving her out in back to the deer.

Noseo, your Russian sage is quite gorgeous. And you have the perfect home style for it and lavender. I just don't have any room anymore for R sage or lavender, so they end up down the slope. This helps with soil erosion, plus the deer, but it's a rip roaring mess out there on the slope. When I see what you have done with your sage and lavender, I am so jealous. I do have some roses blooming, but nothing like a flush, except for Julia Child, perhaps. It warmed up several days ago, and voila new buds and a few new roses. This will all end on Nov 6--the last day for photosynthesis here. After that, the sun will not be shining long or strong enough to promote new growth. Flowers is even farther north than I am, so her last day is a little earlier. You are south of us, so you have more good days left. Now I am jealous of you!

Thanks, Sheila and Jim. Sheila, I'll bet you still have some wonderful R sage and lavender growing. Diane

Above is a Thai Hot pepper plant. It's been harvested, and was twice this size at harvest. This is my son in law's favorite pepper, and he does lots of cooking with it, and I like it, too. Just the flavor. He eats the darn peppers, as well. They are very hot, but not as bad as a habanero. I grow those and others. Just above is wonderful Julia C. I hope the deer will leave her alone because I didn't have the energy to spray tonight, and it's due to be done. Diane

I should be in the garden, Diane. I just got back from a NY wedding of my nephew. Exhausting travel.

That sounds exciting, Sheila. Tell us more. Any sight seeing or gardens to look at? Do you travel often to NYC? If you ever have the chance, visit the Cloisters. The main thing for me to do in the garden right now is rake leaves in flower beds, using a hand rake while I'm on my knees, plus dragging around a garbage can or giant leaf paper bag. What a pain. I'm always backing into a rosebush. But with all the tubes, emitters, and little sprinklers hooked up into one complicated system, I can't just charge in with a big rake. I did my last watering today. Now to have the sprinklers blown out. That's something Jim doesn't have to worry about. I enjoyed all your photos of tea roses on the Antique Roses forum. What a fantastic setting you garden in. It's just splendid. Diane

Diane, how did you figure your last day for photosynthesis? sometimes my new dawn flowers at Christmas.

Diane, we have been on our knees together. I have been crawling under rose bushes weeding, also on my stomach. Really, if anyone could have seen me! A so not enjoyable task.

I don't know if it's the alfalfa tea, but my roses have never been so perky. So much new growth. I certainly will be using it again.

Poor Rosie has a tummy ache again. We've been to the vet, and all her vitals are good, but she is definitely not.

noseo, I had Russian sage, but it wanted to take over the world here too. In the end, I had to dig it out. Pity, as it's a lovely thing. I have Mystic Spires. I didn't realise it wanted lots of water, so that's probably why it hasn't done so well here.

Hot peppers! wooo weeee Nanadoll! Nice shot of JC!

Snowed here a bit last night..Was melted off by this morn...Sort of crazy I'm still seeing bees on Rozanne when the sun is out bright...I thought bees got to sluggish when its in the 40's.. Guess the sun helps them out...lol...

Alfalfa does make roses perky... The microbial action in fermenting or rotting alfalfa makes the nitrogen readily accessible to garden plants. The naturally occurring fatty alcohol triacontanol, a byproduct of alfalfa breakdown, is a powerful plant-growth stimulant.

Diane, the wedding was in the Hudson Valley at Meadow Ridge Farm in Coxsackie, NY. I will get back to NYC in the future as I have an uncle there and I'd love to check out the Cloisters. I'd also like to see the High Line. My Dad was from Long Island so I feel a special connection.

I'm going to start a new FALL thread called...

FALL is upon us... "seasonal thread"...PART 2

NEW THREAD...See you all there... :-)

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5519233/fall-is-upon-us-seasonal-thread-part-2

Thanks everyone for posting such great pics and having such great conversations here in Part 1 of FALL is upon us... "seasonal thread" ... Thank You!

Have fun in Part 2 ....

NEW THREAD>>>>

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5519233/fall-is-upon-us-seasonal-thread-part-2