slideshow: more parting shots of fiery fall

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I STASHED SOME RED-HOT PHOTOS for just this kind of day, the day when the first snow fell—and along with it hail and sleet, our first “wintry mix.” I feel warmer just looking at images from last week and the week before of things like Fothergilla and Sassafras and lowbush blueberry (above), and think you will, too.

Click on the first thumbnail to start the slideshow, then toggle from slide to slide using the arrows beside the caption—or the arrow keys on your computer. Enjoy.

And in case you want a little extra-credit reading:

Lee Reich on blueberry growing.
A good list of blueberry varieties
A little Fothergilla history
The story of Sassafras albidum

magnolia-ballerina-fall-foliage — I recently did a slideshow of all the gold in the fall garden, but the Loebneri magnolia called ‘Ballerina’ hadn’t colored up yet. I love the gleaming mess it makes when it lets go for the season.

fallen-maple-leaves — Fallen leaves are just as beautiful as the ones on the trees, forming bright puddles and pools of color on the ground, such as under this maple. Of course, I’ll shred them in place with the mulching mower or rake them up and compost them, once I enjoy the view.

fothergilla-and-sassafras — In the borders nearest the house, two really late-to-color, long-lasting fall subjects are still hanging on: shrubby Fothergilla gardenii (orange) and my starting-to-grow-up Sassafras tree (gold). Both are American natives.

fothergilla-leaves-fall — Following its cream-colored bottlebrush flowers in spring, Fothergilla has nice leaves all summer (not unlike witch-hazel’s), and then late fall color. The hues range from yellow to orange to red and purple-red, depending on the plant; here Fothergilla major (with larger leaves) tends more toward red than F. gardenii (shown).

kousa-fall-foliage — Cornus kousa, the Korean dogwood, also expresses a wide range of fall color, this year mostly orange turning to red.

lowbush-blueberries-fall — Lowbush blueberries mingle with the low-growing conifer Microbiota decussata and others on my steep hillside behind the house, providing spring flowers, fruit for birds and small mammals, and red-hot October color. Two fiery mounds of it can be seen, beyond the young crabapple. You can use either the straight species Vaccinium angustifolium, or better yet, hybrids of it and highbush V. corymbosum, such ‘Top Hat,’ created at Michigan State.

lowbush-blueberry-fall-foliage — Detail of the color of the blueberry foliage at its peak. Unbelievable, really.

miscanthus-giganteus-fall — I don’t want to forget the contribution that ornamental grasses make about now, and well into winter. Miscanthus giganteus, at 12 feet tall or so, is the most dramatic example, adding color, texture — and even sound and movement — to the late garden.

Categoriesslideshows trees & shrubs

8 comments

Julie says:

November 8, 2010 at 5:47 pm

Margaret,
Can’t wait to look at this slideshow when I get back home. Wanted to say how much I enjoyed your interview with Jamie Ridler (she’s a great interviewer), as well as today’s show on Robin Hood radio. You have taught me that we have so much more to look forward to in the cold weather season. That’s true woo-woo you know!

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Johanna says:

November 8, 2010 at 7:41 pm

Wow, we had 60 degrees today, after snow/sleet Thursday Friday Saturday. So don’t give up hope!

I, too, enjoyed all your autumn advice on Robin Hood today, via podcast!

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Mary Thompson says:

November 9, 2010 at 8:11 am

Love your pictures! We stay in one of the cabins down the road, across from Ray and Janet, in May and September. I walk with the “walkers” and just love seeing your beautiful property. You do a wonderful service to gardeners – and all others who read your notes and visit your home during Garden Conservancy Days. I’m not even a gardener but garden vicariously through your pages. I’m looking forward very much to reading your new book. BTW, Brian Boom purchased my mother’s house in 1994. He’s doing a fine job of making that property beautiful, too!

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East Coast Landscape says:

November 10, 2010 at 12:45 pm

Love your shots! Fall is such a beautiful time and you catch it perfectly!

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1. Margaret says:
  
  November 10, 2010 at 2:05 pm
  
  Thanks, East Coast Landscape, for your kind words. Camera promptly went kaput and has been in the shop since. :(
  
  Reply
Linley Dixon says:

November 11, 2010 at 12:44 pm

A wonderful supplier of blueberry plants on the east coast is Dan Finch of Finch blueberries, a family company started 50 years ago. They also make beautiful pottery and bluebird boxes.

http://www.danfinch.com/index.htm

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1. Margaret says:
  
  November 11, 2010 at 4:21 pm
  
  Thanks, Linley, for the tipoff. Sometimes I want to buy dozens of lowbush plants and just carpet big areas; such beautiful things they are, and the birds adore them (well, so do the chipmunks, truth be told). :)
  
  Reply
Adnan says:

August 25, 2011 at 12:50 pm

Margaret,

I live in Lahore where minimum temp would be 0C only.Summers would see a temperature as high as 46C.I tried blueberries, I tried accers , none survived our summers.It’s a real treat watching fall colors especially for people like me who live in temperate climate and would want to do anything to be able to grow acers and blueberries.

Regards,
Adnan

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