Fall Happenings

Fall color 10/19/19

 Fall is in full swing for sure, trees are starting show their fall colors. I'd say about 30% of the trees are showing color. The two largest trees in my yard are Sugar Maple subspecies black and just happen to be with in the percentage of early turning trees giving my yard a really big boost in the color department.  The weather has been cooler then average for awhile but then it heated up for a couple days with strong winds out of the south at almost 50MPH yesterday. and next week we will be returned to cooler weather which I welcome because these temperatures prolong the fall colors if it doesn't get too cold.

Autumn Crocus 10/19/19

The last of the fall flowers are continuing to hang on but one that has just getting going is the Autumn Crocus which started blooming last week. I often find these are the last blooms of the season. These are not quite the same as Colchicum which flower in mid September and look similar. These are autumn Saffron Crocus. Rabbits unfortunately to eat some of these for me but so far they have left enough for me to at least enjoy some of the flowers. While these come up with no leaves when in flower, the foliage will appear shortly and persist until late spring next year. These were planted rather late last year and was surprised by Christmas blooms! As can be seen they are much earlier this year.

Rhododendron PJM 'Elite'

Cyclamen Bloom

Cyclamen is still blooming surprisingly its been in flower for a month now. The foliage is starting to fill in and I'm also happy to report the missing Cyclamen from my last post have also started to grow in leaves so I didn't loose any of the bulbs like I had first thought. More were added fall-blooming types and a spring blooming one after I had success with Cyclamen this fall. Also another garden surprise, the Rhododendron although evergreen does shed some of the inner leaves and the fall color is looking quite nice!

Shredded Umbrella plant

Variegated Solomons Seal

More plants to add to the fall leaf-color list is the Shredded Umbrella plant as well as the Variegated Solomons Seal, both turning a nice shade of yellow although the umbrella plants looks more like electric green which is actually pretty nice. This was a gift from a garden friend and she visited yesterday evening and we both marveled over the color we didn't know it had. These plants are both part shade lovers by the way!

Sugar Maple 10/19/19

A good way to end the post by showing some of the brilliant yellow of the Sugar Maple ( black ) in my back yard. Yellow is a missed-understood fall color. People always strive for the red or orange but yellow can be an important color too, especially golden yellows like this.  Also people don't realize red/orange doesn't look as nice without yellow to contrast. Think of almost any fall-color artsy photo you have ever seen and I bet you'd realize there was yellow "somewhere" with in. Get out there and enjoy the fall season!