Garden Blogger Fall Color Project

From In the Garden

Dave at The Home Garden started a Garden Blogger Fall Color Project three years ago. This will be my third contribution to the project and it is interesting to me to see just how fall color is different each year-or perhaps it is the way I look at it? The first year I posted in this meme I posted on October 28, 2008. That year I looked at color all the way from Tennessee to Maine. I was awed by the blue skies and lovely shades of leaves above my head. Last year when I posted I posted color mainly in Upper Middle Tennessee and in my gardens. That post included blooms from my camellia tree. Interesting enough I posted on the same date in 2009 as I did in 2008 (October 28th) which was not intentional at all.

I may be a bit early this year but there is fall color in and around my home. I am afraid most trees are looking very sad though due to the drought. We've not had significant rain since mid August or so. This is most unusual for Tennessee. The fact that October is traditionally our driest month does not bode well for the rest of the month either though we are expecting a bit of rain this week. Last year's color included my camellia; which was in full bloom. The camellia has not yet begun blooming but it should begin soon enough. The one thing near the camellia that shows color is an oakleaf hydrangea. The oakleaf hydrangeas give year round interest and these shrubs just can't be beat in the garden for a kaleidoscope of color.

From In the Garden

My one hickory tree has a brilliant gold color. The hickories around my home are also looking mighty good. They are a very reliable trees for providing wonderful fall colors. The hickory nuts are just a bonus. By the way, the hickory nuts have been falling for a few weeks now so it is time to begin thinking of collecting the nuts if you wish to get them before the squirrels. It is an excellent year for all sorts of nuts. I can barely walk in my garden due to all the acorns.

From In the Garden

The crabapples are also having an excellent year. I love seeing these fruits hanging from my trees because I know the birds will eat well this winter!

From In the Garden

A tree I have always admired is the gingko. I don't have one in my garden but Skeeter has posted on the gingkos before. They are beautiful trees. We saw a very mature one at Cheekwood that had dropped its fruit everywhere. I actually thought it was persimmons until I read the sign identifying the tree as a gingko. If you plant one in your garden be sure you have a male if you do not want fruit everywhere as they can be quite prolific. At any rate the gingkos change color all at once then the leaves all fall pretty much within a day or two-all at once. I was lucky to catch this one with its leaves intact. Here it is posing next to a burning bush. Burning bushes are not good

shrubs for Tennessee gardens in my opinion, but they sure can't be beat for brilliant red coloring in the fall.

From In the Garden

Lastly I show you some nandina berries with some nice coloring on the nandina leaves. The nandinas are evergreen but do change colors with the seasons. These shrubs have interest all year round. Despite this fact I removed all of the ones with berries from my gardens due to their self seeding abilities. I did keep the dwarf form of the nandina because they do not berry up and I've not noticed them spreading in my garden. The above shrub was in the same landscape as the gingko tree at a business in Nashville.

Trees are still changing color here in my neck of the woods but I wanted to get this post out now. Notably the late changers such as Bradford pears, crepe myrtles, and Japanese maples are slow in changing or are completely brown and leafless at this time. Time will tell if they do fully color up or not. I hope so because I so enjoy fall....

in the garden....



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In the Garden