October Leaves

Evening light in October is especially pretty in the garden as the leaves start changing colors.  This view of the Northwest corner doesn't include many flowers, so the different foliage colors stand out.

An overhead view of the same area reveals that there is still plenty of growth needed to cover the ground.  This shot was taken in the morning, when the light had a cooler tone.  Our family continues to enjoy the little shady haven back in the corner.  I often find a kid reading out there.

And just for fun, here is a view of the area from spring with the 'Royal Raindrops' crabapple trees in bloom and 'Negrita' tulips below.

The Northeast corner boasts brilliant gold leaves on the 'Shademaster' honey locusts (Gleditsia).  In this shot the sunlight was at just the right angle to light up the corner tree while leaving the rest in shadow.

I love this cheerful yellow!

Underneath the corner honey locust tree is my 'Shasta' doublefile Viburnum, which turns orange and then deep maroon before the leaves fall.  My youngest son has enjoyed sitting here with me while we eat lunch and soak up some sun.  We like watching the honeybees up close on the Japanese anemones.

Some of the peonies show good fall color.  I believe the one above is 'Felix Supreme.'  At left is a 'Blue Angel' hosta, which will turn yellow before withering away.

This year both of my flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida), one pink and one white, have bright red berries forming.  I have never seen this before on these trees.  I guess it means that next spring we'll have many baby dogwoods sprouting around the yard along with all the baby crabapples.

My new 'Royal Purple' smoke bush (Cotinus) is settling into the spot where a 'Sem' Sorbaria used to grow.  The nursery told me to think of it as redecorating.  Don't the maroon leaves make a nice backdrop for the second flush of 'Thumbelina Leigh' lavender blooms?  I'll have to prune it hard each spring to keep it small enough to fit the space, and it will still grow vigorously enough for me to cut stems regularly for vases.