All colours blazing on my return.

When I got back from my whirlwind trip to Canada, I found that my own garden was in full party mode, with all colours blazing on three of my trees. The two Acers had reached their full potential and my seedling silver birch by the back door is now a golden fountain.

This is the acer that was already here when we moved in nearly 30 yrs ago, so I don’t know which one it is unfortunately.

Parts of the tree that are in the sunshine turn more red than the rest.

Beautiful colour now from green all summer.

The tree was about 3ft tall when we first saw it, you can see how much it has grown over the years.

The view of the tree from the other side, in the woodland, looks far more red. It gets some sunshine now that the leaves are down from the taller trees and looks quite different from the side facing the house.

Acer Osakazuki on the other side of the archway is growing too, now as tall as me. Just a week ago the leaves were khaki coloured, look at them now!

I like the contrast of the red/pink with the euonymous below.

The leaves have so many gorgeous shades hiding in there.

A real “wow”, the colour is amazing.

Colour is even better when the rain makes the leaves shine.

With the low morning sun shining through the leaves, they almost look yellow!

I just hope we don’t have gales which will blow them all away!

I spoke too soon, we have now just had gales and torrential rain , so the big sweep up has started.

Quite a few red and orange leaves are down already – shame.

My seedling silver birch just appeared one day by the back door and was allowed to stay.

Each autumn the leaves turn a lovely golden colour.

Over the years it has grown and grown, until now I can’t fit the whole tree into a photo, no matter where I stand in the garden.

Did you notice my Yucca flower in one of the earlier photos?

The whole spike is now in flower and looks wonderful, hopefully no frosts soon to finish it off.

Mahonia Charity is the best it has ever been, I had intended to cut it back this year, I’m so glad that I never got round to it!

Miscanthus leaves forming a golden fountain. and links with the beech in the field hedge.

Betula jackmontii by the entrance is joining in the autumn celebration.

But look what I noticed when sweeping up the leaves, Galanthus Robin Hood is on his way – it is nearly snowdrop time!!! Only about 6 weeks to go until the first ones will be flowering!

It was a wonderful sight that greeted me on my return, I’m so glad I didn’t miss it all.

Are you like me, dashing out into the garden as soon as you return from a trip, to see the changes that have taken place while you’ve been away, I think you might be. I can’t say that the garden is ever boring in November, it is so colourful.

Two storms this week have brought so many leaves down, I seem to do nothing but sweep them up and stack them in a corner of the woodland to rot down. Soon last years leaves will come back to the garden and be spread as a mulch for the snowdrops and hellebores. I must get the woodland weeded so that I am ready for the beginning of the gardening year once more – gardening never stops here in the UK!

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16 Responses to All colours blazing on my return.

  1. Cathy says:

    What a wonderful display from your trees, Pauline – and I like to see the varied collection of them on the ground too

    • Pauline says:

      Thank you Cathy, they were showing promise when we left, but had changed dramatically by our return. There are lots on the ground now after all the gales and rain, soon there won’t be any left on the trees.

  2. Rosemarie says:

    So glad you came back to such a glorious show Pauline.
    I am in Zurich with the family at the moment, seeing other beautiful autumnal variations 🙂 x

  3. Diana Studer says:

    Summer’s Southeaster is gathering up the leaves I use as mulch, and dumping them on the patio. Have to remember NOT to mulch near the patio.

    • Pauline says:

      Oh dear, not good to have the mulch dumped on the patio Diana! I don’t mulch the front couple of feet on any of my borders as the blackbirds toss it all over the lawn!

  4. Cathy says:

    Beautiful colours Pauline. I do enjoy seeing your autumn garden. 🙂

    • Pauline says:

      Thank you Cathy. The colours seem so much stronger this year, I don’t know if this has anything to do with our hot summer or not, whatever it is, we like it!

  5. snowbird says:

    I always dash out into the garden after a holiday, and WOW, yours does not disappoint! Such BEAUTIFUL autumn images….most of my trees have shed their leaves now, although it has been a glorious season, with such vibrant colours. I noticed all sorts of bulbs coming through, despite several frosts. Welcome home, so good to know you had such a wonderful holiday, how you deserve it.xxx

    • Pauline says:

      I think the colours have been much stronger this year Dina, they have been amazing in the next village too, where all the beech trees turn a fantastic orange. I’m not surprised that you dash out to see your garden, we all want to see what has been happening while we’ve been away!

  6. Lin C says:

    I have been away from my garden in North Carolina for over a week and can’t wait to see what is happening. My new Full Moon Japanese Maple was just starting to show off when I left. My new pink dogwood might be turning by now. Such a magical time in our gardens. Your garden is beautiful. We are blessed.

    • Pauline says:

      Nice to hear from you Lin! I’m sure that when you return to your garden, your trees will be putting on a dazzling display for you, definitely a magical time.

  7. Denise says:

    For a moment I thought you were back in Canada Pauline. And I can’t believe that yucca is still flowering! You have a beautiful selection of trees for Autumn colour… and yes, I too, run out into the garden if I’ve been away for a few days.

    • Pauline says:

      No, safely back home Denise, but I was amazed at the colour that was waiting for me! The yucca is still looking good, so beautiful at this time of year. I think all gardeners must be the same, check the garden before unpacking!

  8. Katrina says:

    wow now I want to be there when your garden changes…. Your colours are just as amazing as ours here in Canada… Love the bright red of your leaves…. they truly stand out…. I can’t believe you have a yucca outside in your garden. Love the flowers blooming from it.

    • Pauline says:

      Yes, Katrina, the colours were lovely when I got back too. I think they were much stronger this year, it could have been the result of our very hot summer. Acer Osakazuki which turns bright red, was really stunning this year and is growing nicely, it is now taller than me and was so tiny when I planted it some years ago. The Yucca isn’t looking so happy now, I must cut off the old flower spike which looks pretty awful! It is planted in a raised bed with excellent drainage, unlike the rest of the garden, and seems to cope well with our winters, I think the worst it has had is -10C.

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