Frost has come to the gardens both here at the IMA and at home. This can be seen as an act of horrid evil wretchedness or finally sweet deliverance depending on one’s mood or moods. As stated in an earlier post I can be found experiencing both moods simultaneously. But while the frost brings a certain part of the garden to an end at the same time it brings another whole dimension of gardening to life – fall color.
Even though I miss my gaudy tropicals terribly I know their demise means the autumnal show is ready to start. And who doesn’t love a good show?
This year the colors are simply spectacular, the reds super intense like the color of first lust, the oranges brilliant as Vegas showgirl costumes, and the yellows absolutely glowing like so many rhinestones on a Porter Wagner jacket. It’s just been a great year to walk about and soak it all in. And it’s lasting a pretty long time too.
I suspect our cooler wetter summer has something to do with the great color. But did you ever wander why the trees and shrubs especially change color? The fact that the trees produce less chlorophyll allowing the red and yellow pigments (carotenoids) to show is fairly common knowledge. The trees also produce more red-purple pigments (anthocyanins). But is that all there is to it? I get regular e-newsletters from my former boss when I interned at the Cincinnati Zoo, Rob Halpern (thanks for the link Katie). He now has his own design/consulting business (ZHCD) and includes in each month’s newsletter a group of links to interesting and sometimes bizarre plant news. In fact these have been such a hit they now have a website devoted to them, plantworldnews.com. Anyway, one of Rob’s recent newsletters included a link about fall color. One theory suggests the reds in autumn color dates back 35 million years when the trees and their insect pests survived a series of ice-ages. Could it be the trees are warning the aphids “my leaves are about to die don’t lay your eggs on me”? It’s a fascinating story you can read in its entirety here. Let me also just say I really wish Rob would sell t-shirts or something with his logo. It’s brilliant.
Okay, enough chatter about color. Let’s look at some color.
Maples of all forms are great this year.
Cornus kousa are well beyond their usual color.
The always reliable Lindera angustifolia are spectacular. I love the glossy oranges and reds these plants develop. And when the leaves do turn brown they hold on til Spring, providing a nice cover for birds and your neighbors prying eyes.
Hydrangea quercifolia is glorious.
How about Hamamelis virginiana in full fall color and full bloom?
Another large shrub looking great this year is Aesculus parviflora draped in bright golden foliage. This native of the Southeast is perfectly happy in the Midwest. And is perfect with the late blooming Aconitum.
Parrotia persica is a tree I would love to see more often. The fall colors are fantastic. Once the leaves drop you have the added value of beautiful bark all winter that, like men, will just get better and better looking with age.
The Liguidambar styracifula ‘Slender Silhouette’ we put in Nonie’s Garden developed the glorious yellows, reds, and burgundys these trees are famous for. While the species becomes a broad pyramidal tree the cultivar Slender Silhouette remains a narrow 4 to 6 feet wide at maturity. I like the clean modern lines of these very vertical plants against the backdrop of the broad horizontal curves of the Efroymson Entrance Pavillion (which isn’t evident in this photo).
Not every year is good for fall color in hostas, but this year the Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ in Hosta Curve is beautiful in bright amber shades of gold. Lilies even look good.
Just walk around the gardens and everywhere you look there is a beautiful view.
Now let’s compare that fall color to one of Porter’s jackets. Oh, the tragedy of it all. Listen close.
October 30th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
That should have been “wonder” not “wander”.
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:35 pm
I have a t-shirt with that logo
November 2nd, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I am so jealous. Maybe I’ll email Rob.
November 5th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Irvin,
Are those amelanchiers still there around the back side of the main building?
November 5th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Still there. Well ….. the ones behind Deer-Zink and the ones down in Hulman Courtyard. Does that cover what you asked?
November 5th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
I’m thinking of the ones that you could see through the windows of the big conference room. Is that the Hulman Courtyard?
November 6th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
you know, Irvin, i think the jackets of Porter’s band are about the same hue as the fall color of our sourwood trees (Oxydendrum arboreum)
November 6th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Jeff with a “J” I’m guessing you are right but I am uncertain. Geoff with a “G” you right! I took several pictures of those trees last week but ran out of blog space for all.
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