Vermilion Murmurs and Malus within a November Landscape

Cinnabar and Dragon blood come to mind when seeing the vibrant vermilion sprays of our middle garden Japanese Maple. Its blazing breath reaches over towards payne's gray shadows racing through the forested hills, we call Walnut Hill and High Ridge, creating a stunning contrast. Sturdy oaks still grasping their last burnt sienna leaves are nearly naked now. The Japanese Maple is as out of place in our landscape as an ancient Dracaena cinnabari might be, but it is a dormant dragon so lifting the spirit with its late and lasting fiery vibrance. 

Viburnums have yet to let go of their purple leaves.

Cotinus, without the smoke, adds to the last of early November's crimson garden palette. 

Another sleeping dragon rests just below the farmhouse in our weeping Cutleaf Japanese Maple.

Other reds in the gardens this November are juicy spheres by the hundreds . . . apples remaining on, or below, the apple trees. We have a variety of Malus senior citizens about the gardens and are thankful to those who planted the ever giving trees, one at least, over a century ago.

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' still wearing its burgundy tones before aforementioned century old apple tree. 

A stream of free falls given a good wash make yummy apple sauce. 

Weeping crabapple outside of the little studio offers a tangy feast for over wintering birds.

Our Metasequoia in the north field spreads out her russet plumes.

In the south field sumac brightens the fading countryside.

Meanwhile, as bold colors depart and cold, chilly air arrives, I have added another warbler to my 'A Bestiary. . . Tales From A Wildlife Garden' over at Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens. The stout little Black-throated Blue Warbler becomes the twenty-fourth beast . . . the seventh warbler . . .  joining the bubbly bouquet of songbirds.

The Last to Fall

Sedum continues to bring 'Autumn Joy' contrasting nicely with yellows and oranges in leaves of roses, spirea and viburnum nearly let go now. Kousa Dogwood's mottled trunks frame purple Cotinus gone more red today, before dotted fruits of yellow crabapples. The dogwoods canopy another mixed palette of mauves, yellows and oranges fans out in the front garden concealing part of the barn studio. All these muted colors are the last to fall in the garden. Most let go while I was away... these shots were taken just over a week ago. Now there is a colorful carpet beneath all of the bare limbs of trees and shrubs. If you click on the images you will see the true unaltered vibrancy. 

Continuing Cotinus Color Change

Our Smoke Bush or Continus coggygria, is such a joy ... changing colors each day... as seen in the photos above... I do hope you can take the time to click on the images as the colors are so amazing in reality but lost from posting raw to jpeg. I do not understand why. The first four images were taken just a few days before the following four... glowing colors ... even through the mist. 

Blooming Friday

The last two days have been so delightful... the colors changing more vividly on the Oaks and Native Black Cherry along with other late to turn true hues. The temperatures have been in the 60's and the flocks of White-throated Sparrows, Myrtle Warblers, Blue birds and more are chirping and flying about with joy. They truly are winging with joyous dipping and diving and bits of song are heard along with their lovely calls. Even the katydids are still singing out for last minute love. Here I have another walk around the gardens featuring mostly trees and shrubs ... blooming Viburnums, Lilacs and Apples wore many fragrant blossoms earlier on where now their forms offer other interest. The Blueberries are a shade of red with hints of violet and look stunning near the Birch trees. What a figure our Native Black Cherry cuts into the sky wearing its golden crown releasing hundreds of canary yellow leaves with each gentle wind. They fly like a flock of Goldfinches twirling about each finding its own destiny. The Japanese Maples are brilliant red, but you would have to click on the images to realize this, for they do not come across that way as seen here. (It is as though there is a veil hung over each photo.) Still holding her own ... the delicate blooms of Tree Hydrangea are fading into soft mauve pink values complimenting the golden mane of Black Cherry and the thousands of other trees showing their hidden colors. The little White-throated Sparrow perched in the Crabapple tree is a bit curious... it almost looks like he is missing his tail... then in the last shot there it is ... but how was it so hidden in the others and one shot looks quite without a tail. Maybe you can figure it out. Enjoy the lovely fall days ahead. It is BLOOMING FRIDAY again ... be sure to visit Katarina's to see other gardens from around the globe.