Falling!

I was outside today, and I needed a hard hat. Acorns were falling all around me. Overnight thousands have carpeted the front lawn. They crunch under my feet as I walk, and I have never seen so many. My yard man (husband) certainly has a lot of clean-up to do!

Leaf fall has barely begun, but I know that is coming, as autumn colors are beginning to show. I have enjoyed the golden glow in the afternoons. Often I don't try to identify specific plants, but rather I visualize the molten washes of color flowing together to created an impressionistic landscape.

We haven't reached the peak of fall colors yet, but here are some recent photos to show what we have.

Around the front garden:

In the woodland:

The deep green leaves of Southern Magnolia contrast nicely with the golden fall foliage of a redbud.

Those are mushrooms in the next to last row. The one on the left is a geastrum, also known as an earthstar.

A few scenes from the Lady Garden:

A lot of flowers are blooming madly, even as leaves are turning. Some are leftovers from summer and some are specific to fall; they all love the cool nights and warm days we are having. Toad Lily, Tricyrtis hirta, in the woodland garden

Butterfly rose, Rosa mutabilis, has been blooming off and on since spring.

Fall mums, zinnias, and a salmon colored carpet rose blend with fall foliage.

Finally, here is an old wrought iron table, recently refurbished. The top had rusted out, so I hunted for a new one. I found a piece of scrap Italian travertine at a local marble works. They cut it into a circle and polished it for me. I put it on the newly painted base, and voila! New table! The cobblestone birdhouse is a project I completed a few years ago.

Have a great week, and please watch out for acorns or other objects falling from above.  Deborah