Fall color pics

Gorgeous and definitely the hue of Autumn!

Then, of course, there is burning bush. Yeah, let's not think about it too much and just enjoy its one virtue.

Scott

I know I've already mentioned Franklinia, but it is impossible to over do it on the superlatives for this lovely thang.

Scott

My photography skills and suburban setting are no match for the rest of youse guys, but here's my autumn medley: Summer Wine ninebark, Virginia sweetspire and Hameln fountain grass.

KTdid:

If I was a young and impressionable DGer, I'd say you were trying to butter me up with a fabulous frame of Viburnum setigerum, but since I hurt my neck trying to look at it...

Pardons for the lack of grace...welcome aboard. You seem well suited to the arena.

I have a lame camera, but here's some color from KY -- Cornus florida in the yard.

PG--I think it was '99. Yup, that's right...I believe I was humming a song by Prince while planting it.

Decadent--I gotta get me some of that Sassafras. You're a brave soul posting Amur Maple and Burning Bush back-to-back.

Boygeorgetown--It looks like your camera is working just fine.

Here's my choice for worst fall color of the year.

And a foliage close-up to really drive home just how poopy (I've got to be careful, I've been warned a couple of times for using profanity) it is.

Well, here's a few from me, some from the newly developing garden, some from the woodland. Here in SE Michigan we are having a great color season so far and much of it is yet to come. Many red maples have gone by but some have no color yet, serviceberries in the woods just finishing their gold displays, sassafras at peak in every color from lemon yellow to gold and orange and red and burgundy and everything in between. I have always planted trees for fall color as a major attribute. One of my favorites is the Stewartia pseudocamellia v. koreana (aka S. koreana). The one I have in my garden under this name has consistently had better fall color than the other S. pseudocamellias I have seen -- it is also more vigorous, and flowers much better. After having been moved twice in the past 18 months, it is now growing as a specimen in front of my new house, full sun, and had literally hundreds of flowers through the month of July. Here is its almost fluorescent orange red color

A close up of the leaves

The Dancing Peacock, Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium'. This is one growing in full sun, drier conditions, it is more of a rich claret than in years past when it has been a kaleidoscope. I have another larger tree planted in woodland conditions with more shade and water, and it has not yet shown a bit of color.

I've got two questions for you: First, did you move these from your other place by yourself? Second, how's your back? The color on your Stuartia might be the best I've seen on any tree.

No, these were moved with a tree spade, 36-42" balls. Well worth it compared with the cost of the trees, given their size. I had a crew with a spade move about 30 trees and large shrubs, and most made it. Some were hand dug by these guys but still put in large-ish baskets. They were real pros, had moved very large trees in the past, for a local landscape architect who has designed and overseen plantings at arboreta and botanical gardens across North America.

I love Stewartias of all kinds, have seen some beautiful plants across the country. But I think plants labelled S. koreana are often superior to the other S. pseudocamellia I have seen, both in fall color, bloom, and vigor. This is this tree in bloom last July, BTW

I second Mack on the stewartia, and I'm lining up behind him for a rooted cutting, or whatever it is you tree guys use to make more trees. That acer is a stunner too. Your kaliedescope of autumn color is absolutely breath-taking.

David:

Is that mulch I see in the picture of that awesome Stewartia? What's the matter---are you gettin' lazy? Where is the wall to wall carpet of amazing plants?

We are just starting to get some good fall colors here, but lows in the mid to upper 20's for the next three nights should put an end to that trend. Uggggh.

Scott,
Thanks for the glimpse of what a Sassafras should look like in the fall. Thought you might be interested in this photo that I took today of my Sassafras what a difference. kt

Yes, Kevin, that is indeed mulch under the Stewartia. Against my religion as you know -- I would much rather see the ground completely covered with plants any day. BUT when starting out, with many huge beds, very little lawn on the 2.5 acres that I am actually starting to garden, not much money or time to spend on those perennial groundcovers post divorce, I do have to cover the ground with something. We didn't put down any mulch at first, but then I was spending all my time on spraying roundup for those G.! D.! horsetails and other weeds that I had to bite the bullet and delve into mulching -- 150 yards so far and we need twice that! Plus the sandy soil needs the organic matter added. I end up begging every arborist I know for all the wood chips they can bring me. I have found that covering that much ground (with anything but weeds) is a slow expensive process. But it is gradually happening.....

Interesting that my sassafrases are mostly yellow this year, whereas they have been orange and red before, as they are down the road. Wonder why?

David:

I am in the same boat--need hundreds of yards of mulch. Luckily, the city has a free mulch program, and they use a tub grinder to make some actually decent mulch. I have to go get it myself, but it's good exercise. Two yards at a time though--sloooooowly getting done. As an added bonus, the same facility has piled all the leaves up for years--some great leaf mold available for free. All it takes is time and muscle.

That IS great. Here in Ann Arbor they do all the same things -- but ground up mulch and composted leaf mold went from being free 10 years ago to $20/yard now. Everybody's out to make a buck. I have actually looked into getting a train (2 big semis, 150 yards of mulch) delivered, and will probably do that.

Oh, to go back to that 1/2 acre garden.....