Full On Autumn

 I returned from a much needed week away to full-on autumn in our garden. Having almost missed it (the autumn wind and rain storm took out a lot), it was joyful to be among my familiars doing their dressed up best to impress. Every year is a little different, the previous season's water amounts, temperature and winds all play a part in what, if any, autumn color is on display. I consider myself lucky if we get any and this year, though many trees are becoming bare, does not disappoint. Here are a few images of Chickadee Gardens in autumn.

Standing in the center of the veggie garden looking towards the west there is a variety of orange and warm colors. Calendulas are going strong all over the place and a few late-season pumpkins add to the scene.

Looking past a columnar apple tree and Acer circinatum (which has lost most of its leaves) to the labyrinth garden behind.

Miscanthus sinensis 'Malepartus' with a Quercus hypoleucoides backdrop.

We took advantage of the softer soil by planting and moving a few things. FM dug out this Hebe 'Karo Golden Esk' that has been crowded by Arctostaphylos 'Saint Helena' for several years. What silly gardener planted these so closely together, I wonder? Live and learn. I honestly thought the hebe would only get a couple of feet tall, not 5 feet. It was moved to a more open area and although it might not transplant well, we're willing to try.

Here is the after picture. Much more open, better air circulation and you can see the arcto properly now.

From a different angle.

This, one of three Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku', looks the best of the trio. The others have browner leaves that are falling rapidly. Its color echo with Amsonia hubrichtii at its feet is a lovely one this time of the year.

Veronicastrum virginicum has surprising color, going buttery yellow before dying back. I particularly enjoy it with silver foliage of Stachys 'Helen Von Stein' at its base.

Hamamelis 'Jelena' blooming early. No, wait - it's supposed to be orange and bloom in January. Apropos I got an email in my inbox today from Dan Hinkley's newsletter talking about this exact thing. It's the suckering branches of Hamamelis virginiana, the rootstock used to graft 'Jelena' and other cultivars. This is the first time this part of the plant has bloomed so now I know what to do. Cut those suckers off, bring them inside to enjoy and let 'Jelena' do her thing without being, as Dan puts it, infected. I love learning.

A few pops of color - Oxydendrum arboreum is the bright red, a very slow-growing tree for me (plus it was accidentally mowed down several years ago). Other colors include a dogwood, Lagerstroemia 'Natchez' center directly behind the pine and a honey locust in the far background.

Unknown Hydrangea paniculata cultivar with rosy tints to its flowers. The foliage on this one has vibrant color too, but it doesn't change until November.

Fading flowers that were once blue on Hydrangea macrophylla (unknown cultivar) mix well with the rest of the autumn color palette.

Speaking of hydrangeas, this is Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers' dressed up for autumn. Pretty spectacular this year, I would say.

Some rogue patterning on Cotinus 'Grace' feels spooky.

Nearby a Viburnum opulus var. americanum contributes to the red theme in the woodland garden.

Spiraea betulifolia 'Tor', a non-native but gorgeous spiraea often confused with our native Spiraea betulifolia var. lucida. I have both.

This is Spiraea betulifolia 'Tor', a larger more upright and very pretty shrub.

This is Spiraea betulifolia var. lucida, also very pretty with great autumn color. I would say this one is shorter overall and less uniform in its growth habit but both are outstanding small deciduous shrubs.

A couple Fothergilla 'Mt. Airy' (orange) and 'Blue Shadow' (redder foliage background left, nearly defoliated at this point) really pop with surrounding greens. In the foreground, Callicarpa 'Early Amethyst' with the yellow foliage and purple berries and Aster 'Purple Dome' behind it play well with this color palette.

Berberis jamesiana never disappoints this time of the year.

There are those lovely Amsonia hubrichtii mixed into the meadow garden.

And that same Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku' again because the sun came out for a moment and illuminated it from within making it worthy of another photo.

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, after its vibrant blue flowers fade, turns the best shade of red.

Arctostaphylos pumila, Salvia 'Brilliance', Festuca 'Beyond Blue' and Acer macrophyllum (in the background), among others.

Parthenocissus henryana, silver vein creeper, has a lovely autumn foliage show that is, unfortunately, short-lived. One strong wind gust after these turn and the leaves are all over our carport.

The very late blooming Aster 'Ezo Murasaki' is yet one more purple colored plant that shows its stuff this time of the year. It pairs well with oranges and reds in my opinion.

Want to get away from Euonymus alatus (burning bush) but still have that vibrant red and about the same size? Itea virginica, sweetspire, is a fabulous alternative. This is I. virginica 'Henry's Garnet'.

Let us not forget the luminescent persimmon tree. Soon the fruits will ripen, continuing our food harvesting well into the last part of the year.

Parrotia persica, Persian ironwood, was one I planted especially to add to the autumn color palette. This is in full sun on the edge of our orchard and its color shifts a little from year to year but is primarily in the brick red zone. 

The yellow small tree is Forestiera neomexicana or desert olive, a very hardy, very drought adapted small tree with lovely yellow foliage.

Vitex agnus-castus, chaste tree, is a surprising source of autumn color. Its seeds are also a warm, rich hue. This tree as been very slow-growing for me, but I don't give it any attention or love so perhaps with a little more water it would grow faster.

Asparagus! Don't forget the asparagus. When the morning dew hits it, it's like a sea of diamonds, so pretty. Once it turns completely brown I do cut it back and discard the foliage to deter asparagus beetle from overwintering, though I haven't really seen them on my plants before.

Artichoke seed heads with a colorful backdrop to round out this spooky autumn color post.

OK, wait, I guess the Cuphea ignea which looks a lot like candy corn to me (and was given to me by a dear friend Jerry of Botanica Chaotica) needs to round out this post. And pumpkins in the background.

There you have it, a look at some of the autumn color around our garden. It was a long post, so thank you for sticking with me to the end. 

I love this time of the year, I can be outside all day (if time allows) while the weather is cool and I can get chores done, do the heavy lifting so to speak. FM and I are catching up on such chores such as canning sauerkraut, shelling dried beans, making and canning applesauce, painting bird house gourds (to donate to the Pretty Kitty Holiday Bazaar coming up), planting dozens of plants, cleaning out the greenhouse, taking cuttings, potting up rooted cuttings, FM will install more metal edging, hauling compost (and soon enough gravel as well), clearing paths of leaf debris, removing undesirables . . . you get the idea. Farm and garden stuff. And we are so lucky to be able to do so.

That's a wrap for this week at Chickadee Gardens. As always thank you so much for reading and commenting, we do love hearing from you! Happy gardening and Happy Halloween!