Autumn Report: Japanese Maples and Other Scenes Around the Garden
Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 5:00AM We gardeners are so tuned to the weather; it seems I begin every post with a weather report! But I have to say: After summer gripped us with its infernal fingers through September and into October, autumn hardly had a chance to flaunt its colors before frigid winter grabbed hold. Poor autumn. Shaken and frozen, its withered leaves are fluttering to the ground.
But we have had some glorious days. Recently I took photos as afternoon sun glimmered through the golden leaves of Hickory and Redbud (Cercis) trees and ignited Japanese maples and other plants with fiery sparks of red and orange. Because of the previous drought and then our sudden hard freeze, I am not sure how much more color we will get, but I appreciate the beauty of the moment:
The colors are more muted this year. Many leaves have crispy edges left over from our late summer drought, but they are still lovely. 
The color of 'Feelin'Blue' Deodar Cedar is always striking, but the blue hue intensifies as cooler weather arrives: 
I like the following combination of plants in the woodland garden. Starting in the foreground: evergreen Goshiki Osmanthus, also called variegated false holly; Variegated Solomon's Seal, buttery yellow as it goes dormant; Variegated Japanese Pittosporum, another evergreen; and the deep green 'Gunsmoke' Camellia. (Do you get the sense that I love variegated plants?)
Acers, especially Japanese maples, provide many of the fall colors in my garden:
Clockwise from top left: 'Viridis'; Unnamed, grown from a seedling of 'Bloodgood'; 'Hana Matoi'; 'Bloodgood'.
These are all shots of 'Sango Kaku', also known as Coral Bark Japanese maple. The stems will turn deep red as winter progresses.The following is another beautiful Japanese maple that started out as an unnamed seeding. It was eight inches tall when I planted it in 1990. The leaves are just turning in this photo, and they should become deep burgundy before they fall.
Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' has multi-hued fall foliage. These leaves are all from the same tree:
Here are a few more scenes around the garden, including a photo of Lou, who often calls himself my "yard man." The leaf scoops are helpful when raking piles of leaves that accumulate quickly throughout our wooded garden. The ivy is Hedera Helix 'Variegata', an evergreen, hardy ivy I grow in a hanging basket. The lovely plant with the red berries is the unfortunate, highly invasive (in my area) Nandina domestica. I have removed hundreds of these from the garden, and there are new ones every year:
As we approach the holiday season, may you all be blessed by gardens and other beautiful things. Deb
Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium', Deodar cedar 'Feelin' Blue', Hedera helix "Variegata', Japanese Pittosporum, Japanese maple 'Hana Matoi', Japanese maple 'Sango Kaku', Japanese maples, Nandina domestica, Variegated Solomon's Seal, autumn leaves, fall garden, variegated osmanthus in fall, fall garden, foliage
Reader Comments (10)
Hi Lou!
We, too, are enjoying the Autumn color we have; after that nasty drought and heatwave, I'm just so thankful for appropriate temperatures and rain! Always a treat to go on a garden walk with you! xo
That cedar is glorious, Deb! Your experience with the stretch of hit weather stretching through October and its impact on your fall foliage describes the problem we have here - the foliage most responsive to cooler temperatures tend to dry up and drop before they have a chance to color up. Although diminished, you still get much more fall color than we're likely to have - my small collection of Japanese maples (3) are mostly singed already and we're expecting another hot-dry "wind event" to start this evening and run into Tuesday.
Your yard man has big hands. But that almost makes it fun to scoop up leaves. At first?
Thank You for the delightful stroll through your garden in Autumn Deb, it is always a pleasure to see at any time of year.
You have lovely autumn colour Deb and your evergreens show up so beautifully against them. We had plenty of colour but the gales and torrential rain brought a lot of leaves down so they didn't seem to last as long this time unfortunately. I keep telling myself that leaf sweeping is good for the waistline!
All the colors and textures of your woodland are magic. Green with envy of that blue Cedar--gorgeous color.
I'm a variegation lover also--Abelia 'Kalaidescope' is a favorite. The Osmanthus is quite striking--the pure white variegation is striking especially in shade.
I have been pleasantly surprised at the fall color. I was certain that it would be very ho hum with the drought and long summer. Nature always surprises. I didn't get out in time to photography the fall color on the Japanese Maples. Yours are spectacular.
I know what you mean about autumn being cut off prematurely. Still, you have some lovely color, especially those Japanese Maples.
Loved seeing all the Japanese Maples, and Lou!!!
Our north Alabama Fall was just as brief!
Honestly Deb...I'm ready for spring!!
Cute photo of Lou. :) All your Maples are stunning! Many people here in S. Wisconsin lost Japanese Maples last winter because it was so severe, and not enough snow cover, I guess. They reported that we've had consistently colder winters, but the conditions were detrimental to the Japanese Maples for some reason. They are so beautiful year-round, but especially in the fall!