The colours in the garden this week have been absolutely amazing. I took my drive round the neighbouring village a week too soon, if I had waited they would have been far more intense, must remember for next year. For foliage day this month, I will have to come clean and admit that some of my photos – mainly of the Cornus sibirica Westonbirt – were taken 2 weeks ago, before they all blew away! They weren’t ready last month, the colour hadn’t changed, and I knew I had to photograph them before they dropped so that I would have a record.
The view from the landing window of the front drive. Cornus are showing their beautiful beetroot coloured leaves.
Cornus Westonbirt contrasting with a buddleja
Betula papyriferra nestled among the Cornus bushes.
No, not mine unfortunately, this acer belongs to next door………
…….this is the view we have of it on our side of the wall, you will see that the cornus leaves have now all gone for this year.
This Acer is such a fantastic colour, I have never noticed it before, it must have grown a lot this year to show above the wall.
A seedling silver birch which has put itself near the back door. The birds all line up in this tree before coming down to the feeder for their food.
The Cotinus in the back garden has changed from deep purple to a lighter maroon. Here with euonymous and seneccio
By the garage in the front garden, forming a wind break from the north wind for the roses, is a purple Berberis with another euonymous.
Hiding the wheelie bin is the beech hedge with a camellia and mahonia for company. The beech hedge turns such a lovely colour before turning brown which then stays all winter.
Prunus Kojo no mai is in the back garden near the alpine scree. It has green leaves all year then turns this delicious caramel colour in the autumn.
In the border by the field is a Betula Jaquemontii with some more red stemmed Cornus, beech, conifer and variegated privet.
Forming a golden cascade is Miscanthus sinensis Malepartus. The purple flower spikes are now bleached but it is the foliage which vies for attention.
This Acer was here when we came and usually just turns orange, but this year it has developed quite a number of red patches.
In the background is Acer palmatum Osakazuki, contrasting with the orange Acer in the foreground.
I managed to get all three Acers into one photo from an upstairs window. At the back of the woodland is yellow Acer Sango- kaku.
The far side of the woodland has a large Bay bush which sets off Acer Sango kaku in front of it. The green leaves of summer change to a buttery yellow.
The colour of the leaves of Acer Sango kaku fades as the weeks go by.
The colours of the Acer Osakazuki take some time to develop. In this photo, just one leaf is the colour that they will all be soon.
Each day brings more and more changes to A. Osakazuki, the colours are now much brighter.
At last, Acer Osakazuki is sporting its true colours.
Trying to take photos when the wind was blowing so strongly wasn’t easy.
Acer Osakazuki with Acer Sango Kaku in the background, both contrasting with the euonymous and the bay.
Contrasting beautifully with Euonymous Emerald Gaity are the seeds of Iris foetidissimus.
I think all these beautiful colours will soon vanish, they will be blown away on the strong winds that we are having at the moment, to be raked up and eventually brought back as a mulch for the trees which give us such a wonderful finale to the autumn garden.
Many thanks must go to Christina at My Hesperides Garden for hosting GBFD once more, do pay her a visit to see interesting foliage from different parts of the world.
It is always a treat to travel along through your garden Pauline. I must say when it comes to fall color the rich reds tug at my heart, so I admire your wonderful views. Also enjoyed seeing the contrasts of Euonymous and the orange berries. I need to look up Iris foetidissimus. Lovely. Susie
Thank you Susie, I do love the autumn colours too and I must say the red Acer is my favourite too. The Iris is I think, the only one which enjoys heavy shade, the flower has very pale beige and purple flowers which can easily be overlooked but the berries shine out at this time of year. The birds eat the berries and the seed gets distributed round the garden, we get more each year!
Thank you for joining in again this month Pauline, you have such an enormous amount of stunning foliage in your garden. I’m glad you included the Cornus Westonbirt, its colour is wonderful, I so wish I could grow them here although they might not make such good colour here.
It was such a shame that the Cornus only managed to hang onto its newly coloured leaves for two weeks, I wish they could have stayed for a lot longer, we usually have them for at least a month. The autumn tints came late this year, I think by about a month, from looking back at last years photos.
Hi Pauline,
I always knew there was a reason I need lots of Dogwood 🙂
Mine is still quite small – in a pot – but it was given to me as a cutting; I think it’s about time I planted it in the ground and allowed it to spread its feet and hopefully grow nice and big.
They are so easy to root Liz, if you ever want any more, as hardwood cuttings, they root in no time at all. They soon grow big too, about 6 or 7 ft in a year, if coppiced in March, they can be kept to this size and the bushes soon fill out and grow lots of nice red stems.
Your acers (and next door’s) are looking magnificent Pauline. I must get some dogwoods. There is something special about them in autumn and winter and an omission here so far. Love the Prunus too.
I think the Acers Jessica, bring such colour to the November garden, it couldn’t be called a dull month! Even though the Cornus have lost all their leaves, we will have the lovely red stems all winter until they need to be coppiced in March.
My cornus have a long way to go – your are lovely! I am not sure if the leaves of any of mine colour up like yours – there were too few leaves to notice before they had all gone! You have got beautiful acers yourself, Pauline – there is a brilliance about some of them that never ceases to amaze me. That miscanthus is lovely, but very tall – how tall does it grow? Thanks for sharing 🙂
Cathy, yours will catch up sooner than you think, it doesn’t take them long! The miscanthus grows to about 6ft, 7 ft with the flower spikes, but I suppose it depends on the soil etc. The sun today was shining through Acer Osakazuki, lighting it up and looking like a stained glass window, it was being buffeted all over the place by the wind, but still managed to look gorgeous!
I love all the different shades of your acers Pauline! I think it’s the fact that their colour is so fleeting that makes them even more special. The berberis and euonymous look gorgeous together too – what a great combination. 😀
Thank you Cathy, I feel that November now isn’t the dull month it used to be in the garden. I look forward to all the leaves turning colour, even though some are so fleeting, It has made such a difference since I planted the acers, they are guaranteed to cheer me up, no matter what the weather.
Your acers are showing out this year, absolutley beautiful colors!! You have such beautiful gardens.. 😉
Thank you Michael, the acers do bring such a lot of colour to the garden at this time of year, we enjoy them while we can because the wind blows them away far too soon unfortunately..
Lovely photos and colors. Blessings, Natalie
Thanks Natalie. I always used to think November was such a dull month in the garden, not any more!
I’m always partial to a blaze of glory, and you certainly delivered! But you’re making it very hard for me to stand firm in the knowledge I can’t grow Cornus or Acers here.
Lyn, such a shame if you can’t grow them,I’m assuming it’s because of your summer heat, for the acers anyway, I think they would probably just shrivel up. Would the Cornus not survive in the shade?
Glorious. Just… glorious. And talk about borrowed landscape! What a bonus to have that acer popping up above your wall, a huge advantage over the more usual leylandii! The cornus is stunning, mine are still tiny but that is why I planted them – beautiful leaf colour in autumn and then those glorious stems. So much to make you smile.
I was so surprised when I saw next door’s Acer, how have I missed that in previous years driving passed their house, or have they just planted a big one?! I will look forward to it each year now, peeping over the wall. Even though the Cornus leaves only lasted 2 weeks this time, we still have red stems until March when they then need coppicing, yours will soon grow and be delighting you over the winter.
Oh such spectacular colour Pauline – every bit as bewitching as a garden full of flowers. I would not berate yourself for taking that drive round the neighbourhood when you did as it probably impossible to gauge when colour will be at its most intense. Once again I’m making a note that I’ve got the wrong cornus. However all is not last as mine was not pruned back hard enough for a few years and must I think be extracted. A replacement will be in order 🙂
The autumn tints Anna, are certainly making the garden a colourful place at the moment, I hope they last a bit longer and don’t all blow away too soon. I have a feeling that we are all soon going to have Cornus Westonbirt in our gardens, they are so good in the winter garden too!
What lovely Autumn colour. You have obviously given a lot of thought to planting for impact at this time of the year. I think Acer osakazuki is just the best for Autumn colour.
Chloris
Thanks Chloris, I have given quite a bit of thought to interest in the autumn and winter garden over the past few years. To start with all my planting was for spring and summer, but then that leaves the garden looking a bit boring for later in the year, so something had to be done! The red Acers do look so good contrasting with everything else, I’m growing some seed from Osakazuki so who knows, maybe a couple more might sneak into the garden!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a message, its good to hear from someone new!
Fabulous colours Pauline, acers are so fantastic aren’t they. I’ve got two in my garden, one changes first and then the other extending the season for me. The second one has finally just dropped its leaves and so there is a red carpet now.
Acers Annie, certainly earn their space in the garden at this time of year don’t they? They get better and better each day with the colour becoming more vibrant. Mine are still hanging onto their leaves, just about, the orange one has started to lose a few each day, but it still looks beautiful.
You have some lovely rich colours in your garden (and from next door!) I love the beetroot-coloured cornus and the acers are so striking. We planted an acer that catches the early morning sun and is looking glorious now. And I always love the beech hedges at this time of year.
Wendy, next door’s Acer was a lovely bonus, I hope they let it grow and don’t prune it ! There is so much colour at the moment, you could never call November dull, even on a dull day!
Dear Pauline, your garden is absolutely delightful! All these colours, the beautiful Acers and in between the birch trees which I value so much because of their stunning bark. A proper show stopper is Cornus Westonbirt – wow! Never heard of it but it’s on my list now. Your garden must be quite big if you can accomodate such a number of trees and shrubs. Best wishes, Annette
Annette, Cornus Westonbirt is supposed to have the reddest stems of the Cornus family and does give winter interest until it needs coppicing in March, I hope you find one for your garden. The garden here is about 2/3rds of an acre, more than enough for me to deal with! We have lots of very old trees which form a woodland strip which is my favourite part of the garden.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful fall colors with us! I enjoyed seeing the fabulous foliage combinations, especially the acer/euonymous combos! The acers are spectacular. I can’t imagine my own garden without them. And your cornus is quite beautiful with and without their leaves! So much concentrated color; will the memory be enough to hold us through the drab winter?
Yes Deb, I think it will. soon it will be snowdrop time here and that will have me out every day checking on them! I’m so glad you enjoyed all the colour in the garden at the moment, the garden closes down with a bang!
Dear Pauline, another autumn gone – falling leaves turning to compost – what kind of winter will it be? At the end of our spring, I am bracing myself for what someone has warned me to expect – a ‘brutal summer’. Spring and autumn really are the most benign seasons.
We feel for you Catmint when the heat strikes again, a brutal summer sounds dreadful for the keen gardeners of Australia. We have had a week of frost most nights and sunny days, the colourful leaves are still hanging on, brightening up the garden still. Nobody has forecast the weather for our winter yet, so we will just have to wait and see if it is going to be mild and wet or snow everywhere disrupting everything!
I think the woodland feel makes it optically very spacious. Shall try to find a Westonbirt, if not it may be an excuse to go to the UK some day 😉
Yes, that certainly would be a good reason to come to the UK!