Why stop gardening in August? At least that's the question asked in a press release for a new book called "Fallscaping."

I'll give you one good reason to stop gardening in August: STUPID RAIN!! I was fully drenched and had to do two wardrobe changes while finishing my garden path with hubby on Friday. Ugh.

Ok, I've got that rant out of my system. It's actually a beautiful day today (or at least it looks that way out the newsroom windows). But man, the month has been such a rainfest, hasn't it? And a windfest too... but I digress.

So this book is all about gardening in the fall. It comes with 10 garden plans for autumn-loving gardens. It even has a pretty landscape for gardens that get a lot of fall rain (like ours this year). The book recommends wet-loving plants in its "Wet and Wild" garden plan. Think Helianthus 'Lemon Queen,' Chelone lyonii 'Hot Lips' and Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe.'

A very cool book. It comes from Storey Publishing and is available at many bookstores and amazon.com.

My husband and I spent most of the summer and a good portion of this fall building a garden path that meanders/wanders/flows through our backyard. We created two seating areas (I still have to buy the seats, but at least the space is ready) and made a walkway that connects both sides of our yard.

This winter I'm going to work on building garden beds that flank the pathway.

Any creative ideas for interesting plants to put in the beds? I like the idea of having themed planting beds (yes, I'm weird that way).

To give you an idea of what's already in my yard, most of my planting areas are full of smallish shrubs and dozens of ornamental grasses in hues of red, brown, copper, dark green and chartreuse. I also have a kitchen garden (in a bed made of stacked stones) with lots of herbs and a few miscellaneous plants.

I was thinking of doing a chocolate bed with plants that range from deep purple to chocolate brown and copper. Thoughts?

Back in the newsroom and working on tomorrow's Home & Garden section.

Watch tomorrow's Home & Garden section for a story about the Tacoma Fall Home & Garden Show, through Sunday (Oct. 14) at the Tacoma Dome.

Scroll down and check out the cool stuff we found at the show while blogging from the show yesterday and today (Oct. 12)

Show details:
What: Tacoma Fall Home & Garden Show
Why: You can learn all about what’s new for your home and garden, see vendors, watch demonstrations and get a step up on your home projects.
When: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. today and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Tacoma Dome
Admission: $5-$8 at the door
Information: www.tacomafallhomeand
gardenshow.com

I'm about to head back to the office to write up more of the stuff I saw here at the Tacoma Home & Garden show.

But before I leave, I wanted to mention the cute little "lucky bamboo" display at the Windmill Nursery booth. It's adorable! I have photographic evidence.

So Marce had her "Honey I want this" Christmas wish list items yesterday (scroll down and check it out, readers) at the Tacoma Fall Home & Garden show.

On my wish list here at the show is the outdoor kitchen with a tiki bar and a water feature. Oh yeah, and there's a very "dudely" putting green next to it. The whole display reminds me of a very dudely story that Bill Hutchens wrote for our H&G section earlier this year.

I think the thing I like best about the display is the waterfall pictured here. I want it in my back yard. Now.

Across from the WSU Pierce County Master Gardeners booth is a really magnificent rock display. Big rocks, little rocks, flat rocks and some that look like they're three-man (or four?) rocks that would be really, really hard to move.

The booth displays rocks from Marenakos' rock center and "Stonearium" in Preston. Have you ever taken a trip there? I think I smell a GetGrowing field trip. Check out the photos I took.

Here at the Tacoma Fall Home & Garden show, be sure to stop by the WSU Pierce County Master Gardeners booth. It's located on Aisle 800, near the really cool Marenakos rock exhibit (more on that later).

Master Gardener volunteer Ben Brossard just told me that all books are 10-20 percent off and there's no sales tax. Seriously, this is a good place to buy your garden books.

I saw a few of my favorites, including the Northwest Gardeners Resource Guide, which gives you a HUGE list of specialty nurseries and other places where you can find things you didn't even know existed.

There is a big pile of books from Northwest authors like Ed Hume, Mary Robson, Deb Prinzing and Ann Lovejoy, among others.

Ben just opened up a copy of "Washington and Oregon Proven Plants" and showed me that the book was even signed by Mary Robson. It retails for $25. You can pick it up at the show for $20.

And while you're at the booth, have a chat with the volunteers. They are all knowledgeable garden volunteers who might be able to help you solve any gardening problem you're having.

I just sat down after wandering about for the last half hour and I just heard the announcement that Brian Santos, the wall wizard guy, is starting his seminar. He's been featured on HGTV's "Smart Solutions" show and on "Good Morning America" show.

Get down here!

For those reading this blog post late -- on Saturday or Sunday -- here is the schedule for Brian's workshops this weekend:

Saturday, Oct. 13: Noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 14: Noon and 3 p.m.

I'm here at the Tacoma Fall Home & Garden Show at the Tacoma Dome. Craig Sailor has flown the coop (he had an engagement he just couldn't get out of). I'm at the News Tribune booth located right next to the front door (look to your right when you get in). The embarassing photo of the Get Growing bloggers is set up for all to see (I might have to hide it).

A few things to guide you as you arrive at the show:

1. Parking. It's $6. Have cash ready! If the lots are full or too busy to get in, you can always try parking on the street down by the Best Western Tacoma Dome Hotel, although parking spaces are hard to find. There is a guy in a gravel lot across the street from the hotel who is guiding cars to a lot with a bright pink sign that says "Parking $3." Who knows what the story is there, but it looks like a good backup plan for parking.

2. When you walk in the main doors, be sure to check out the pretty container garden arrangements from Windmill Nursery in Sumner. I love the container filled with the pink dahlias. I want it in my backyard.

3. When you walk in, look to the table to your right where the programs are. Grab a blue bag when you walk in. It's the best way to gather all the pamphlets and H&G propaganda you'll want to grab as you peruse the booths.

See you at the show! I'll be here until noonish and will post some other tips and tricks for navigating the show. Also, check out our story in tomorrow's Home & Garden section about the five things you can't miss at the show.

I have seen the signs for The Glass Gardener on my way down Pioneer Way but I have never stopped in.

Carol Gebauer, co-owner of the company, showed me through a model the company brought to the show today. Her company has more than ten models on site.

This one sells for about $1,500. It's 6 feet by 8 feet. She said most of her customers are homeowners, and some use the greenhouses to create outdoor living rooms not just to grow plants.

I've never tried to grow lilies, but I was tempted to get the "African Queen Bulb-Zilla" from The Lily Pad's booth.

The fist-size bulb had a sign posted next to it saying the bulbs were only for sale at the show because they're just too large to ship. This was puzzling, as it's possible to ship furniture ... but I didn't ask. I like the idea of something I can only get here.

The African Queen is a hardy trumpet hybrid with an orange and burgundy bloom. It grows four to five feet tall and blooms in July. And all for just $6.99.

Other than the Lily Pad's booth and Windmill Gardens, there isn't a lot of actual plant life at the show. Makes sense: It's not exactly time to plant. But I did see an exciting promo for next season's show: They're aiming for 1,000 booths, which would make it the largest in Tacoma's history, as well as the largest combined home and garden show in Washington.

That takes place January 30 to February 3. I'm marking my calendar now!

Windmill Gardens, a nursery and supply shop based in Sumner, is offering a range of planters at the show including some square metal ones.

The planters range in price from $8.99 for a 7x9 version to $24.99 for a 15x19 version. The pots are galvanized steel and will last about 15 years without any problems, said Terry Green, a buyer for the company.

Windmill gardens also is selling orchids for $19.99 and a four-pot planter for $20.

"The main reason we are here is to get people to know what we sell and get them into our nursery," Green said.

Niki and I are here at the Home & Garden Show at the Tacoma Dome. The show is mostly home not so much garden. Still, we've managed to find some cool stuff that we will share.

Here's a look at the entrance of the show with a dream garden display by SK Landscape in Tacoma.

Help!

I want to know how many of you are in the same situation I'm in right now.

Scenario: I hit the Watson's 40 percent off sale in late September. Score! I bought about 30 ornamental grasses and perennials. Total cost: about $140. Big bargains.

Problem: I bought the plants and promptly forgot that I have zero time to devote to gardening right now. So I've been digging and planting for days (one or two plants a session) and I still have 10 plants to get into the ground. And I worry every day that it's getting colder and colder.

How many of you are waiting until the last possible moment to plant? Have you ever pushed your planting into November? What happened? Tell us your late fall planting stories!