Yes, welcome back Kosk! Love your blog name - my friend has a similar approach to asking her kids about their day - what was your rose, and what was your thorn? Must have been the 'year' for France, I've known so many folks (including my granddaughter) who traveled there this summer. We just got back from a week long camping trip to eastern Washington. The fall colors were absolutely gorgeous, particularly over the North Cascades Highway, but my camera was out of battery so no pics.

A few things blooming still as fall approaches.

Blue wonder Toad lily


Nice mix of textures and greens.


One of the last daylilies on a new plant this year.





Replanted an area on the north end of the house.


Re worked the front conatiners. Just loving this cooler weather.

I love that last arrangement. Inspires me for potting things up next year.

Blooming on Friday (10/16/2015)...Orostachys iwarenge (Chinese Dunce Cap)






Really cute and tiny...I love the silvery gray foliage and the flowers are so soft and fluffy. The tallest point on this is maybe about 4.5". the entire footprint of the plant is maybe 6" x 8".

Linda that is beautiful. I have one but not as lovely as yours! How is the welding?

It reminds me of Pussytoes that we have in our botanical rock garden

That is exciting-I had seen them in a catalog but did not think they would be hardy here, I thought the rain might ruin them. Now I have just the place for them.

Mary they have to have very fast draining soil and top dress with crushed granite (chicken grit) or pea gravel.

Fall flowers, looks like the weather is really turning cooler.
Rhodochiton, hardy geranium and the last of the dragon wing Pink begonias.



Begonia Ikon


Heliotrope and dragon wing red begonia

Winter hanging basket. This is a cascading heucherella.


Spray painted a few of my old containers and replanted for fall. Chocolate anyone. That's all I could think of when planting these so had a few Almond Joy fun size.


A camellia, bloomed beautiful this year. Usually the blooms freeze and fall of before the show. Must have heard me last year that they might get the chainsaw.

Happy Thanksgiving to all the PNW gardeners.

Just noted my white hellebore is blooming! Also the winter jasmine, which blooms before it leafs out. Too dark out to get a photo, but perhaps tomorrow.

On another note, what does everyone think of perhaps having a bloom thread for each season - winter, spring, summer, fall? I kind of like to go back and see what others have blooming at specific times of the year and having this be one continuous thread kind of hampers that. On the other hand, when we were trying a monthly thread, some months were pretty skimpy. So, thinking of a compromise...?? We wouldn't have to be cut-and-dried about when a season begins and ends - I suppose winter has not formally started yet, but I sure think of December as a winter month. Anyway, just a thought. I'll try to get a photo of the two bloomers I have now, and we could also post frosty/snowy pictures if we get that type of weather.

Not real sure what to make of this coming winter -- I have a lot of foliage still hanging on and still need to finish up my fall cleanup (we took off mid-November then came back to steady rains). It's 50 degrees at 4:30 pm today - I sure could get something done between rain squalls, just need a bit of a push to get out the door!

Ha! All I can provide is a snowball until around late April

Oberon, there are lots of really pretty snowy pictures that could be enjoyed. I did go ahead and start a winter thread and rather than limiting it to blooms, just called it Winter 2015-16 Photos. I thought that would leave it open to other interesting photos to get us through the long dreary winter. I like frosty/snowy pics.

According to the weather advisory we are headed to a full on blizzard today. If it happens I will try to get good pictures. Not going anywhere today so 'let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"