A little patch of woods, starting to turn …
Tag Archives: Foliage
A Beautiful Day in the Autumn Garden
Here in Manhattan, Kansas, we’ve been having unseasonably warm weather this October with recent day time highs hovering around 80 degrees F. (It is actually supposed to get up to 85 here tomorrow.) So it seems as though nearly everyone is giddy over the sunshine and warm temperatures. I took advantage of the weather today to get some photos of the gardens. Enjoy!
Roses
Toad Lilies
Chrysanthemums
Hibiscus (This is probably the latest I’ve had one bloom. My other three are already dying back for the season.)
Quince
Asters Raydon’s Favorite
Beauty Berries & Asters
Japanese Maple Garnet
Liatris (stalks)
Viburnum Leaves
Wishing you a lovely autumn!
Autumn’s Chill
Along with bringing down a lot of leaves, yesterday’s winds ushered in a drop in temperatures. Brrr! It was only 16F. here this morning. If I didn’t have to rake this afternoon, I would stay in and do some baking. Maybe tomorrow : ) Have a lovely day!
Beauty in an Autumn Garden
With cold weather upon us – it was only in the 30’s F. at lunchtime today – I am not sure for how much longer the garden will be in bloom. So, of course, I am trying to enjoy it as much as I can before winter hits. Here are some photos from this morning. My fingers were numb taking them, but it was still a great pleasure to be out with the flowers.
I am not sure that I can explain it, but I find there to be something romantic about an autumn garden – perhaps it has something to do with its beauty and quietude and all of the memories that it contains.
Several of the roses – Mr. Lincoln and Secret – are especially fragrant now. I wish that I could share their scent with you.
Have a lovely day!
Japanese Maple “Garnet”
This Japanese Maple “Garnet” was one of the first trees (or plants of any kind) that I planted in our yard. I am very fond of it.
It was looking especially vibrant today, having just this week developed its Autumn color.
Since old man winter is predicted to make an appearance tomorrow – very low temperatures, but no snow – I thought that I would get some photos while the weather was nice.
It was very windy today, so despite the warm weather (almost 80 degrees F.) it was a challenge to get good pictures.
The one above is my favorite. I had to climb inside the tree to get it, which must have been quite a sight for my neighbors. The tree is a petite and delicate specimen and its tallest branch just brushes my ribcage.
But as they say, good things come in small packages.
Happy Arbor Day!
When I realized that today is Arbor Day, I just had to take some pictures of one of my favorite trees – Japanese Maple, “Garnet”. Garnet has lacy leaves that are bright red when they first emerge in the Spring and then again in the Fall. In between they are green with red stems. I’ve been shaping the specimen tree that we have for 12 years. It is about 4′ tall and 6′ across. I think that it will be a while before I see it at its mature height of 10′. Garnet’s delicate countenance brings me pleasure whenever I work in the shade garden and I enjoy imagining its future size and shape every time I snip a little here and there. You know what they say, “to garden is to have hope for the future.”
Hostas and Heucheras
My big project for the week is rearranging my shade garden to accommodate an Empress Wu hosta that my mother-in-law kindly bought for me over the weekend. Empress Wu gets to be 5′ wide and 4′ tall, so some (i.e. a lot of) moving of plants here and there is definitely in order. In planning the new layout, I’m trying to come up with a pleasant design in terms of the plants’ varying heights, textures and colors.
“Half the interest of a garden is the constant exercise of the imagination” – Mrs. C.W. Earle Pot-Pourri from a Surrey Garden (1897)
… but of course, if one is a gardener, exercise of the imagination tends to lead to exercise of the entire body. Mrs. C.W. Earle forgot to mention that part. After all that digging I’ve done so far, boy is my body tired.
Here’s a picture that I took – while taking a break from digging – of one of my favorite foliage arrangements. (Bottom right, heuchera Plum Pudding; bottom left, hosta Liberty; top, unknown hosta variety.) This corner of the garden I am happy with so I am going to leave it be … for now ; ) Happy gardening!
A Taste of Morning 