Fall Finale

Yes, I know I already did a fall foliage post, but I just couldn't resist another. This time it's from my garden. Fall seemed to be lingering, and a few things I don't ordinarily consider to have good late season colors looked unusually appealing. So the garden beckoned. Luckily I took a few shots yesterday, as today's rain has already washed most of the remaining leaves off the trees. Above is the aviary garden, which provides as good an argument as any for a mixed border. The perennials basically crashed and burned a month ago, but trees and shrubs are carrying the color banner onward. How can you have a good border without woody plants? We're looking at a few Japanese maples, Viburnum nudum 'Winterthur' (at right), and in back, the tall yellow thingy is a Magnolia cylindrica, which I don't ordinarily think of as displaying colorful fall foliage, but there it is.

Below is a grab bag of fun stuff. Clockwise, from upper left, weeping larch, witch hazel, katsura, climbing hydrangea, and, lastly, a two Japanese maples, both grown from seed.