Fall color in the garden

My new post about fall color, this time all about terrific trees and shrubs for autumn display.

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November color - fall is not over yet

It was a foggy morning, so I grabbed the camera and went out before breakfast. I didn't even need my gloves it was so mild. These pictures show the misty morning light, and the glow from the sun rising. Today's temperature went up to 21 degrees C (69F), so it was a delightful day to be outside.

The four-square garden, starring Molinia 'Skyracer'
The crabapple orchard at sunrise
- tree farm saplings in the background
Crabapple tree after the fog lifted
Fothergilla gardenii in full fall color
Fothergilla isn't a well-known shrub, which is a shame because it's a beautiful and carefree shrub that doesn't grow very large, which makes it particularly useful in smaller gardens. I have it growing at the edge of my shade garden. Here's a link for more information about it.

© Yvonne Cunnington, Country Gardener

Best fall color - more trees and shrubs

Although there are still golfers playing at the course across the road from us, Toby and I have been able to start having morning walks there. If we get there early enough, we done before there's any danger of balls hitting us. The course has some magnificant trees, such as the oak above.

The sugar maples have colored beautifully this year
Our shrub border with eastern redbud,
double-file viburnum and cotoneaster
Our magnificant little black gum tree (Nyssa sylvatica)
© Yvonne Cunnington, Country Gardener

Fall color - the season's star trees and shrubs

It's been a fantastic autumn for great foliage color. Here are some favorites from my garden this season. They all happen to be North American natives.

Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Serviceberry (Amlanchier canadensis)
The serviceberry leaves were more intensely colored this fall than I've ever seen them before.

Dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii)
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
© Yvonne Cunnington, Country Gardener

Fall splendour to gorgeous to rake up

We are at the peak of fall color. A good wind yesterday saw leaves falling like rain. They look so pretty on the ground along the laneway that I'm reluctant to mow over them or rake them up.

Flowers are mostly gone, but leaves more than make up for that
The shrub border behind the four-square garden (below)
with yellow backdrop of tree farm ashes
Molinia 'Skyracer' grasses frame sundial base my husband carved
© Yvonne Cunnington, Country Gardener

Fleeting fall color

I love this time of year. I don't think my garden is ever more beautiful than in October. And the same goes for all of nature up here in Ontario.

I took the above picture two days ago, but now the leaves on the 'Autumn Purple' ashes in the background have already been blown off. I've learned the hard way (many times!) that if you don't get out there with your camera the moment you see those "oh, my God shots", they're gone.

The weather is turning fast. After an achingly beautiful and very warm Canadian Thanksgiving weekend (Oct. 9th this year), we had pelleting rains all day yesterday, and there's frost and even a few flurries in the forecast for tonight, with tomorrow's daytime temperature in the single digits, around 8C! (That's 46F.)