Glorious Autumn Light
Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 5:00AM I almost missed it. The day was old, and I was busy. I had not been out to walk in my garden or to take photos, as I like to do. I already had plenty of fall photographs. I wasn't planning to publish another post featuring autumn colors. So I was tempted to skip my afternoon stroll.
But I never know what I will see out there, and I like to take pictures for my own use. A good shot will often point out gaps and errors in the garden. My eye sees the big sweep of things and can miss details picked up by the camera. If I look at a photo and decide I can't use it on my blog because item X is spoiling the shot, I know I need to do something about item X. So I grabbed my camera and hurried out before the sun set.
I was stunned. Overnight the fall foliage had intensified. Golden light was glittering over the leaves, and I was looking at a stained glass wonder of colors. 
Was this my garden?
I walked to the wooded area down from the patio. This year I added an arbor to the entrance of the Lady Garden, and I noticed that it was the perfect frame for the wondrous fall foliage:
I took these shots in and around the hydrangea walk, adjacent to the Lady Garden:
Some photos in the woodland garden:
More trees: The blue coloring of Deodar cedar 'Feelin' Blue' is especially vivid this time of year. The brilliant yellow tree is a Japanese maple, which once upon a time was an unnamed seedling:
And a few closer shots:
The glory of the autumn light renewed my spirit and my energy. I am humbled to think I almost let the stress of a busy day steal this gift from me.
May each day offer blessings to you, and may you find time to receive them. Deborah
Reader Comments (27)
Wow, what glorious colors! Your woodland garden looks simply magical.
Deborah I am glad you took the walk so you could share this amazing sight...your garden is an oasis and maybe someday i will be lucky enough to visit it :) What a treat to see it in person.
I know exactly how you feel, when the sun comes shining through the coloured leaves - its magical! Its wonderful how the colours deepen each day and you think they can't get any better, but they do. Your garden is looking wonderful with all its shades of various colours, the garden is having its final fling!
The colours in fall can vary so greatly from week to week, that it makes it enjoyable to walk through the forest everyday to see the progression. Your shot centred on the arch is like an impressionist painting with all of the dots of colour, and the structure makes a terrific viewing port. The moss around the bridge is a nice counterpoint to the surrounding leaves. The Heuchera leaf is terrific, such pretty patterns, and the way that some Heuchera leaves change through the seasons while remaining on the plants means you get to enjoy them longer.
Debbie, I love your woodland always but as I scrolled down this post each image took my breath away. First shot I said Wow! aloud, and then continued to say Wow to each new view. I'm so glad you didn't miss this wonderful moment in your woodland and so grateful you shared it with me. Thank you. Christina
Deb - Glad you didn't miss these scenes, isn't if amazing what even a few hours can do to change the colors. Thanks for having your camera handy!
Wonderful. My favorite is that first picture of the arbor with the black iron and red leaves. I like your bridge, too.
Beautiful! I especially love the second photo. Those colors framing the arbor are just luscious. Good idea about taking shots to see what needs tweaking in the garden.
Stunning, just stunning, Deb!
Autumn is a special season , especially when the lighting is just right and it casts its glow on the rich autumn colours. Thank you Debs for the well wishes to all your readers, and we wish the same to you. And thank you for sharing the wonderful autumn photos of your garden, which is always a delight to see!
your last cluster of images is sparkling fireworks!
Everytime I see shots of your garden I realize more and more what a treasure you have created.
Stunning.
Jen
Your autumn garden is quite stunning!
Beautiful Deb, your images haven't shown up any x spots that I can see. It's so good just to make an effort to go into the garden, no matter how big or small, it always brings rewards.
Best Wishes
Karen.
I haven't had a lot of spectacular fall color this year and the few shots I did take were lousy. But yours are beautiful! I love hydrangeas in the fall. Their coloring always comes as a surprise because I always think of them as summer shrubs.
isn't it amazing how the light changes how things look! I just adore this kind of photography that is like painting.
"The glory of the autumn light renewed my spirit and my energy. I am humbled to think I almost let the stress of a busy day steal this gift from me." I need to put this on a poster and hang it above my desk. Sweet words that are so true, Deb. I actually find this to be true in any season... I just need to slow down enough to allow it to happen. More walking through the gardens is a great prescription for happiness. Your pics are divine!
I'm so glad you took the walk, and shared the photos with us! The images of the arbor are magical! Don't you just love the stained-glass effect?!
I'm so glad you took the time to go out there with your camera after all, and then we got to share it here. Glorious color!
Lovely lovely lovely! Fall will always be my favourite season! Jack
Your pictures have an added ethereal beauty this week, glad you packed your camera.
Thinking "stained glass" makes you see the view in a different way, like rose-tinted spectacles. Thanks for the suggestion.
Your photos look like paintings. Beautiful. I did a similar walk, with sunlight shining behind the colored leaves. The leaves looked like stained glass -- and then Sandy blew into town and ended the autumn party. Oh well.
I find that the camera has a way of focusing my attention on the garden and away from drifting off into daydreams as I stroll along. Spare moments are precious things. I agree that is wise to fill them with appreciation for the temporal things that surround you like your garden.
I'm glad your garden leaves you in awe too! The palettes of color in your gardens are amazing, and the trees provide the perfect backdrop. Quite honestly I find your garden to be one of the most visually interesting of any of the gardens I visit, virtually, or in real life!
So much beautiful color in your fall garden! It looks like a dreamscape.
Beautiful as always. I just love those colors and the blue deodar cedar sets them off so well. I also really like the way your archway frames the fall scene.
Like you I almost missed walking in my garden (due to knee surgery) but when I did hobble out I was struck by the stunning foliage on my Parrotia. There is always something new to see