The fiesta maple, with its two trunks and lush display of leaves, beckoned me out to the garden this afternoon. Earlier, when the wind was softer and the air a bit warmer, I planted tulip and daffodil bulbs in the butterfly garden. With the wind rising and the temperature dropping, I walked briskly from tree to tree and tried to catch images of the autumn leaves in mid-flutter. The white pine at the north end of the butterfly garden is full of firm green needles and immature pine cones.
The Chinese Elm, the anchor of the butterfly garden, is one of the last trees to change color. It is still providing a green canopy above the fading perennials that grow along the garden trail.
The little Japanese Maple (cultivar Waterfall), growing under the elm's green umbrella, is crimson and gold in mid-October.
I left the butterfly garden and headed down into the wild uncultivated edges of the property. Several years ago we found another little self-planted white pine. It is taller than I am now, and this year some of its needles are turning gold and dropping onto the ground beneath the tree.
At the edge of the marsh in the southeast corner of the propoerty, our oldest daughter's Weeping Willow towers above the shrubs and small trees.
At the end of the garden, this paper birch grows tall and slim and leaning (like so many of our trees) decidely to the east. This tree was planted by our younger daughter and her father 11 or 12 years ago.
Bosc pears are still clingly tightly to the branches of the southern tree in our miniature orchard, and the leaves in the next tree, a Luscious Pear, are a delicious glowing orange-red.
Near the front porch, the leaves on the thundercloud plum are the same deep rich purple they have been since Spring. In the background, autumn colors are evident on the hill just to the east of our property line.
Before hurrying back into the kitchen to start mulled cider and nibble roasted acron squash seeds, I turned to the western edge of our scenic perspective. There is not a great deal of autumn color in that direction, but the blue clouds and the quality of the light give evidence of this mellow season. Wherever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you beauty and contentment.
all photos by Aisling, October 18, 2009
8 comments:
Such pretty leaves. All shapes and colors, each appealing to the artist in us whether we can draw or not. The designing winds add a wonderful quality to the pictures. No still life there.
I am a big fan of sharp, clear close-ups, but I guess there is beauty to be seen in the slight-blur of motion. *grin*
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So pretty! It was far too cold and rainy around here today to stroll.
Abbie, It was cold here too, but not as bad as some of the days in the previous week so it felt nice to get outside despite the temperature. Tomorrow is supposed to be a little warmed and sunnier; I'm really looking forward to that!
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Hi Aisling!
Your bit of earth is VERY pretty!
Our weather was VERY warm this weekend and our leaves are a bit confused. I should clean out the veggie bed, but I don't feel like getting my hands in the dirt now.
Pom Pom,
Thank you. I love our view here!
I know what you mean about not wanting to get your hands dirty. I just realized I need to bring in the garden hose for the year, and it seems like a really monumental task. lol!
Planting a tree with children and watching it grow and change is something I really love to do. Your stroll is so serene and peaceful.
Christiane, You are so right. Most of our trees here have been planted with our children. When we moved here, the property had formerly been cow pasture and there were no trees. So all of these (except those surrounding our property) were planted within the last 13 years. The growth of the children is pretty amazing too!
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