Skip to main content

Featured

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
1 comment
Read more

Waiting for the fall color



Despite us having a drought-free summer, I am afraid that we have been paying the price for it this fall. It has been extremely dry for over a month now. There has been rain around us, especially in Colbert County, but every time a mass of rain heads this way, it tends to break up when it gets to the Tennessee River. Last weekend the weather forecasters screwed up big time when they predicted a 70% percent change of rain and we ended up getting nothing! They are saying the same thing for this coming Monday but I am refusing to listen to them.

Yesterday, I turned the sprinklers on in areas that needed it the most. Really the entire garden looks pretty pathetic. The garden wall area (above) was the only spot worth photographing. 

Also, the Hardy Orange (Poncirus) is covered with small fruit.  


The fall color has yet to arrive but it is usually late here - sometimes well into November. I have noticed a few trees around town changing color.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
Email Post

Comments

  1. sweetbayNovember 15, 2014 at 11:24 AM

    I have noticed that a long dry spell before the leaves change is a real death knell for fall color. Luckily that didn't happen here this year, but in dry years past the red maples -- usually our chief source if color -- would barely change and the leaves would just fall off.

    Drought is very frustrating.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts