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Japanese Maples Fall Color

'Skeeter's Broom' is the most colorful maple in our garden. I have just returned from a 2-week trip to Japan. This was my first ever trip outside the United States. It was an amazing experience and one I will never forget. Japan was wonderful - they really have their act together and I think the U.S. could learn a few things from them. There was one disappointment on the trip - the fall color had barely begun there and was really just beginning as we left. That is okay because the gardens were still spectacular, and I got a nice shot of fall color when I got back. 'Ryusen' I missed a few things - our ginkgo had just turned a glorious color the day before I left, and the leaves were gone by the time I got back.  'Sango-Kaku' I came home to many leaves on the ground but still a lot on the trees. 'Osakazuki', a beautiful red maple always changed color very late and therefore doesn't usually last long. When I left there was no color but a few remaini

Country roads



A few weekends ago, my brother and I drove around the rural backroads of Franklin County. This is where I grew up. Fall is a beautiful time of year here. The trees haven't changed color yet (that will happen in early-mid November) but autumn is definately in the air. 

Rural Franklin County, Alabama
The pastures and roadsides are covered with Goldenrod, Swamp Sunflowers and various wildflowers.

Rural Franklin County, Alabama

Rural Franklin County, Alabama

Rural Franklin County, Alabama

Rural Franklin County, Alabama  


Rural Franklin County, Alabama  


Rural Franklin County, Alabama
One of my favorite autumn plants is the Sumac. It is just beginning to change color and will take on much fierier hues as the season progresses.


Rural Franklin County, Alabama
Haystacks and turkeys


Rural Franklin County, Alabama
This is Dog Fennel (thanks Sweetbay! It grows in huge drifts with feathery foliage.



Rural Franklin County, Alabama
I caught a glimpse of flowers in a pasture and pulled over to get a better look. This looks like Ageratum.


Rural Franklin County, Alabama
Another wildflower I'm unsure about.


Rural Franklin County, Alabama

Rural Franklin County, Alabama

Rural Franklin County, Alabama
Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. The white cloud, which is also in our creek bottom, could possibly be Ageratina altissima, aka white snakeroot? Ours is happy with its buddy New York ironweed, Vernonia noveboracensis, and good old goldenrod.

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  2. What a delightful drive through the outback. Lovely wild flowers. I don't know the names of all of them but there are a lot of the same blooming around here.

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  3. Terrific pictures! I had forgotten how pretty it is here on back roads.

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  4. I love this post and your photos of the country. I, too, love to drive back roads. My parents always took us on Sunday drives in the country although we always lived in suburbia. Your pretty pictures bring back some good memories.

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  5. The pumpkin face really makes me smile! Great pictures.
    --Emily

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  6. So beautiful! It looks like the more rural parts of VA. :o)

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  7. I haven't actually seen swamp sunflower growing in the wild, those big stands of it are beautiful. The plant with the feathery foliage is dog fennel.

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  8. Beautiful, beautiful pictures. Thanks so much for sharing. Have a great week!

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  9. While I dearly love a cultivated garden, this has to be one of my favorite posts. I just love rural countrysides and wild meadows. This looks so much like the Ohio countryside where I live. I dearly love this quiet kind of beauty.

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  10. Gorgeous. Don't you just love fall? It's starting to look similar here too, but we're a bit colder, and further along by about three weeks. Have a great week!~~Dee

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  11. That's lovely. Back roads are best--"blue highways", someone called them.

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  12. I had a chance to head west yesterday towards Williamsburg. It looks exactly like the pictures you have shown.

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