That's a good selection!! A few of the new ones.

NICE!!!

Gorgeous colors. I cannot believe we are into Autumn already. It has been cold here - we seem to be ahead of schedule.

Hoping everyone had a nice Christmas and wishing everyone a great new year.

Can you believe this year is almost over? Where has it gone? I was outback seeing my inlaws off this morning when they were leaving and saw that my heuchs are under a couple of inches of snow. I am hoping to be in the garden more this coming gardening season.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone.

Nice to see you post Carolyn! Everyday day is longer
Happy new year!!!

Julia -

How was your Christmas? It went by so quickly. I am looking forward to doing Christmas tomorrow with my grandson, son and Dad. Then we will be finished with Christmas for another year.

This past year was not a very good year for gardening for me. I am hoping 2014 is a better one!

Happy New Year!

Sounds like you have had a full and wonderful Christmas. Mine was wonderful, both my boys are home but, next year may be a different story. Glad I don't have to travel for Christmas. Have fun with that grandson. I do hope you get more garden time this year. Mine was cut short this last season as we were remodeling a rental. This spring will be a big clean up after the garden was neglected last summer.

Julia

I will have a big clean up next spring as well - any tips?

Carolyn,

My method is to fill at least one garbage can a day until I'm finished, more it time allows. I use large garbage cans to move debris to the compost heap. I have to look at what has been done rather than what needs to be done. I spread compost on my gardens 2 years ago and it must not have gotten hot enough because there are weeds growing like crazy. Maybe it was so fertile, that when things got neglected the weed seeds went wild. I'm going to give preen a try when I get things cleaned up. I use a garden fork to loosen then get on my hands and knees.
My problem is so many rainy days and seems like I have to go out on nice days. Good luck!

Well Julia, I have the garden fork and I will probably use that. I didn't get out there much this past year and I was going to mulch, and instead broke my foot. I still have the bags of mulch sitting at the edge of the garden - so I won't need to buy mulch this next gardening season.

I have been trying to make up for my gardening itch by spending more time on my houseplants.

That's awful about you breaking your foot. Hope it is better now. That was like me 2 years ago, sprained my ankle in early September. I sure hope we both have a better season. Have you had any time to check out the newer heucheras that have been coming out. I bought a few and am looking forward to the spring show. I actually planted a bunch in the ground rather than in pots. I love my dogs but why do they have to walk in my new gardens. I have plenty of older establish places they are more than welcome to. Maybe they are just curious. or just wanting to help.

My biggest regret about breaking my foot, Julia, was that it was my 'driving foot', so I could not go anywhere, nor could I stand for very long because my foot would not bear any weight. I did push the envelope and try a few new recipes, though.

I haven't looked at the newer heuchera varieties. I think part of the reason is I know I will want them all and I am running out of room to plant them.

I did manage to plant a Sweet Tea before I broke my foot. That was one that had been on my want list for so long. I do have a few others and will squeeze them in to different places as some I want very badly.

Funny thing about your dog - I swear they know where the new plants are, don't you?

Oh yes, they know!! Maybe they like the soft soil. Sweet tea is a beauty. Do you have snow on the ground?

Yes, we do have snow on the ground. They are calling for more snow during the coming week, but I cannot ascertain how much. I would prefer not to have the snow if I had a choice, but that is not a choice I have.

We had snow for about 24 hours. Never stays here for long. I just came back from the eastern part of Washington were it is much colder. 31 degrees at 10 AM, so much warmer back here on the western side 45 degrees and raining. My older son visited Philadelphia back in November. He may go to school at Temple.

Best of luck to him. Temple is an excellent school - Philly is about 4 hours south of me.

Last time I was in Philly was for the Philadelphia Flower show. What a thing that was! It still totally blows my mind with all of the preparation that must have been part of that show. I would like to do it again at some point.

We are supposed to be having a snowstorm in the next couple of days. Personally, I would prefer to miss it. I would love to have your 45 degrees and rain.

I'm not complaining about the rain after that week of cold weather. Hate that extreme cold never want to live in the upper mid-west. Have you seen those temps in the negative numbers.
The flower shows are a wonder. I go to the Seattle show every year, just love all the display gardens.

I don't like the negative numbers either. People generally laugh when I tell them I don't like the cold and anything below 68 degrees is cold, but the thing is I know when it hits 68 degrees.

What new heuchs are you looking at for this year? I know you mentioned some of the newer varieties.

I was hoping to get these from I Love Hostas, Grape Soda, Lava Lamp and Red Expo. No pictures yet so I'm still sitting on the fence.
I guess I can take the cold better than the heat 65-75 is good for me. Those high temps zap me.