Another misty morning here. Put on my sandals to go out to take pictures and my toes froze! Fall is here. Another sign? See photos.
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| This is the time for my American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) to shine. This native shrub is a big leafy mound for most of the growing season, but it produces teeny tiny pink flowers in the summer and then makes these incredibly gorgeous fruits. The color is unlike anything else I've seen in nature- a super vibrant deep magenta- and this photo doesn't do it justice. The birds love them, so I need to be quick if I want to enjoy them. |
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| This is a Tea Oil Camellia (Camellia oleifera). Its seeds are used in China to make an oil used for cooking. I can only imagine how beautiful those farms must be! The bark, which is smooth and cinnamon colored, is my favorite part of the plant. The flowers are white and fragrant, and are borne over a long period in late fall. When in full bloom, this shrub is gorgeous. |
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| Closeup of Camellia oleifera buds. It starts blooming around the first of November. |
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This is Camellia sinensis 'Rosea', the tea plant. The straight species, Camellia sinensis, has white flowers. It and its variants are used to produce commercial tea. The pink one is mostly ornamental, although you can make tea from it. I have never made tea from my plant, but I have friends who know how. Maybe someday. It's a slow grower and I really love the flowers, so maybe I'll just enjoy mine as is and leave the tea making to the experts. |
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| Here is a rogue Camellia sinensis 'Rosea' flower that decided to face up. It happens every once in a while. |
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| This is Cyclamen hederifolium, which basically translates to "Cyclamen with leaves that look like a Hedera's." Hedera is the genus for Ivy. It just finished blooming for the year. To see what the flowers look like, click here. |
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| This is Edgeworthia chrysantha. Some people call it paperbush, since it is used to make fancy paper in China, but I just call it Edgeworthia. The leaves fall in December, and it blooms in the coldest part of winter- sometime in January or February, depending on the weather. The flowers last a long time, and they have the most beautiful fragrance. A real treat! |
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| Fall color on my Forsythia × intermedia. |
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| Mud follows me around whenever I'm outside. She's a great companion. |
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| Here she is again. I love the way she adds to this composition. Thanks, Mud. |
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| Fall color on my Oak Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia). The kids found a small oak tree growing in this shrub recently and it helped them to understand the name. I love it when mother nature helps out with my plant teachings. |
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| I love having the Redbud's branch arch over the path. |
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| Fall color on my Redbud (Cercis canadensis) and a view of my long-neglected but still beautiful shade garden |
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| See that tall evergreen? That's a Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) we moved from a rock cliff overlooking our waterfall about ten years ago. It was growing in a small crack and wouldn't have had room to grow very large. It has become one of my favorite trees and gets more beautiful every year. We're in the very southern end of its native range. |
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| A close-up of the path, showing yellow fall color (just getting started) on the Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'). This is a great three season plant that requires very little maintenance, provided you have a slightly moist, shady spot. The new shoots emerge pink in early spring, followed by bright green leaves edged in white. White flowers dangle from the arching stems in late spring, then you get the beautiful foliage all summer and into fall, when it turns a beautiful golden yellow. It is dormant in the winter. |
