I took advantage of yesterday’s nice weather to play hooky from the computer for an hour to do a little fall clean-up in the garden. The cold temperatures Friday and Saturday nights stopped most of my perennials. The more tender plants I had in containers wilted completely. I’ve now emptied all the containers, except for three pots in a protected place on the front porch. I also raked up some of the leaves and put them in my compost pile. While things are moving steadily toward November brown, a few bright spots still glimmer.
First, how great is the fall color on this oak? The picture was shot near dusk so it may not capture it, but the tree has turned a beautiful russet color. Individual leaves have shades of yellow, red, and brown, but together they are the quintessential fall red-orange, like a flame of a tree. I love the pyramidal shape of this tree as well. A few flowers are still blooming here and there, too. The roses that were nipped by frost have opened; a brave little petunia survives (probably because it spills over on the pavement); and this sunny white and yellow mum is still blooming.
With Halloween here, the days for fall gardening are certainly numbered, but I plan to enjoy every gardening day that I can.
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