Great photos! Thanks for sharing.

Hi Roselee great colorful pictures, I see you have castor bean plant in there I amjust wondering do you have or know of anyone that has castor bean that gives solid burgundy seeds they almost black I would love some of those also CB that is green or silver I have seen this in Kingsville maybe outskirts of Corpus I have the red castor bean plant Thanks Marcie New

Thank you for commenting Firefly ... :-)

Marcie, this is the only castor bean I have. There are certainly some colorful ones out there. Maybe someone coming to the spring SAPS will have seeds to the burgandy or silver one.

Lorelei will be announcing the dates for next years swaps in January.

Here is a link that might be useful: Colorful castor bean plants ...

This post was edited by roselee on Tue, Dec 16, 14 at 11:38

Wow, how wonderful to see such vibrant colours in December. I live in Ontario, and it's blah, grey, cloudy and damp. Our snow melted as our temps are above zero. Blech.

I would dearly love to go to Texas, Fort Worth and Austin, namely, and now you're reinforced my thinking to San Antonio. Thanks!

Jasdip, do make San Antonio your top Texas destination! There is MUCH to see and do in this historical city with a down home Mexican flavor. It's been called the biggest little town in Texas.

Roselee, your Arroyo Sweetwood is spectacular. Beautiful photos... all of them. Love the red lantern grouped with the Nandina Berries. But, my fav is the Grizzly Bear Cactus in that rustic setting. Love the effect of that grouping. Just beautiful! Of course, we always enjoy seeing the population of the 'thundering herd.'

Our yard is bare and almost pitiful this time of year, but had to post this one given by a friend..... thanks!

Our Dutchman's pipe is still so healthy looking. It's grown so tall and had blooms late into Fall.
{{gwi:2131939}}

Christmas Cactus is blooming... yea! Right on time for Christmas!
{{gwi:2131940}}

Log planter is a bit stressed but we love the color on this one:
{{gwi:2131941}}

Peppers are doing well. It still a small bush but it is loaded with peppers.
{{gwi:2131942}}

NOID. It's got this pretty little flower but we have no idea if it's a weed.
{{gwi:2131943}}

Another NOID. Another cute little flower. These are coming up in a row so it must be something that we planted. We'll wait and see, lol.
{{gwi:2131944}}

Thanks for the post, Roselee. "We need a Little Christmas (Color)!"

could get only 1 pic at a time...

This post was edited by sylviatexas on Thu, Dec 18, 14 at 11:19

paperwhites

Your cute orange flower might be bulbine.

Sylvia, your white mum is so pretty. I've now seen yours and Roselee's white mum's and I'm tempted to grow them. I'll bet they looked really pretty when you had many all blooming together. What is that red berry? Is it also a Nandina? I see the Paper Whites at the nurseries but I've not tried them yet. I'll have to look those up to see how to care for them.

Thanks for the ID on the Bulbine. I had to google it, but, that's it exactly. I found this description on the web:

"....The fresh leaf produces a jelly-like juice that is wonderful for burns, rashes, blisters, insect bites, cracked lips, acne, cold sores, mouth ulcers and areas of cracked skin. This plant is ideal to grow and is a useful first-aid remedy for childrens' daily knocks and scrapes. The Rastafarians make an infusion of a few fresh leaves in a cup of boiling water. The strained drink is taken for coughs, colds and arthritis.

This bulbine is mostly dormant in summer, blooming in the spring, and then again in the fall although somewhat less. It can be propagated easily by stem cuttings. The cuttings can be planted immediately and kept in a shady area. They don't need any special attention or treatment, and build strong root in a couple of months."

I learn something new everyday. Thanks.

The O. macrocentra pads are at their prettiest this time of year.

{{gwi:2131926}}

yes, the berries are just old grandmotherly nandina!

I didn't know bulbine was good for all that stuff!

& since it'll survive outdoors, it would be a better bet than aloe here in 8a.

Wow -- look what happens when I'm gone a few days -- all kinds of wonderful photos. Thank you, thank you!

I didn't know all that about bulbines either. Like Sylvia says it will be a good substitute for tender aloes.

Sylvia, my mums are pretty droopy from the rain, too. I don't have much hope of them coming back before the Jan/Feb freezes hit. Love how every leaf of your Nandina look like they are outlined.

"Sunny" Irene, what could that last plant be? I'm stumped. I don't know why but 'pineapple lily' comes to mind and I've never even seen one bloom, so I may be way off track. All your photos are lovely. That pepper almost jumps off the page!

Texas, that's the prettiest purple cactus picture I've ever seen. The cold does some wonderful things to some plants, not only the cactus, but Irene's paddle plant for instance.

Isn't this years "Indian Summer' wonderful for the plants? I can't say it's all that great for people with all the rain -- NOT that I'm complaining ... :-)

Hope to see some more photos next time I log on.

rose lee could you email me? wamting to catch up and find out about the fall swap thanks

Marce, I'm not sure I have your email addy and your Houze message system is not turned on, but no problem; here is information about the San Antonio Fall Swap, Oct. 8, 2016. Hope to see you there.