Nature's Fall Garden

Where's the blood 

Chasing Halloween 

I have just put aside the article I was writing for next month and instead am doing this one. The catalyst is the world now around me, in its fantastic fall color. Here in Central-Upstate New York State, fall is a blast of color. We are closer to Toronto, Canada (which we visit far more frequently) than we are to New York City.

Even my garden has a change of color. The Euonymus alatus has turned a bright red, the mums are in bloom and the Miscanthus sinensis are sporting their feathery fronds. The Coryopsis, with a late flower or two, has not yet given up for the season. The Monkshood, Aconitum, still carries its blue flowers (don't eat any part of this plant, don't use it where children may go). The leaves of the Serviceberry are red-orange. The berries on the Viburnum trilobum, the Cotoneaster dammeri and the Ilex meserveae Blue Maid and Blue Princess are bright red. The Maple trees are almost beyond description. Some are yellow, others golden, bright orange or red. Behind our house is a hill covered with hardwoods, part of a state park, that is one of the most colorful sights this time of year. Even the lowly Sumac (probably Rhus glabra) that proliferates in disturbed land alongside roads adds its oranges and dark reds to the fall rainbow. Often, we have driven around our area for many miles in the fall searching out the best color only to return home and glory in what is right behind our house.

A couple of weeks ago we drove through the nearby Adirondack Mountains where fall comes a bit earlier. We hit the peak of color there. It's hard to describe the pleasure one has when rounding a curve in the road or topping a hill and seeing another broad expanse of brilliant colors.

If one is even luckier, there is sunlight to heighten the effect. That is one commodity that we could use a little more of although there have been no complaints this past year. El Ñino has been good to us. La Ñina is on its way to exact due vengeance.

In the fall, my garden pales alongside the golds, reds and yellows of the native trees and shrubs. At this time of year we feel that there is absolutely nowhere