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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Random Friday - What season is it?


There seems to be no denying it any longer, the garden is saying that it's autumn.


These artichokes were gorgeous in bloom and I rather like them now as well.

How thoughtful of the spiders to hang Halloween decorations on all the trees.

So, for all of us warm color loving, pumpkin spice adoring, hot cider quaffing, squash munching,  gourd centerpiece making, indian corn hanging, leaf gazing, egg nog spotting, ornamental grass bloom worshipping, sweater wearing, Thanksgiving hosting, Halloween reveling lovers of fall, it's a glorious time.

I'm not particularly fond of the season that follows myself but I like how it cleans up the overgrown beds a bit.

First Camellia sasanqua sighting this fall.  Here's 'Yuletide' at Vassey.

C.s. 'Apple Blossom' at Watson's  My sasanquas never bloom this early rather they start a month later in mild years and bloom through February when it's time for the Japonicas to take over. 


The cell phone camera seems to do a better job with close-up subjects than with things like this maple tree aflame with glorious fall color.  Didn't have my real camera with me when I came across this gorgeous tree. 
 Happy Friday!
 Happy Weekend!
Happy Fall, Y'all!

30 comments:

  1. Wow! That tree is beautiful! My dried up artichoke flowers were full of seeds, which I saved, after tearing a few of them apart. I don't know if the critters will eat them, but they might, given that artichokes are edible. I also cut the dried up stalks down, and now there is considerable new growth at the base.

    Happy Fall to you too.

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    1. I was hoping that the finches would be interested in them since artichokes are big thistles but so far, no takers. Mine have new growth at the bottom as well but I kind of like the look of the brown stalks.

      The tree would have been more beautiful with my real camera but just had the phone as the sun was streaming through the tree. The phone camera is not so good at knowing what I want to focus on sometimes.

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  2. Gorgeous photos, even the spiderwebs which creep me out! Oh, the flame of that tree - wonderful.

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    1. Thanks. Sorry that spider webs creep you out - they fascinate me. Probably shouldn't let you know that we usually have one or two who build webs on the inside of our kitchen window and I let them stay as long as they wish.

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  3. The spiders do seem extra industrious this year, don't they...I swear, every inch of space in my garden is festooned with webs!

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    1. Ain't it grand on these foggy mornings to go out and see the webs bejeweled with water droplets?

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  4. Your spider web pics are wonderful! I do love all the aspects you listed about fall, but I am missing the warmth of summer.

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  5. Your dew-bejeweled spider webs are so pretty, I find them hard to capture in a good light, which you did. The flaming tree leaves are gorgeous too. But we have been having an incredible stretch of warm dry days so I am getting a lot done on mattocking out blackberry vines and even planted grass, native seed mix, and goldenrod seeds, which I hope can still grow enough to withstand the cold temperatures when they come. It surely isn't a typical fall.

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    1. It is an unusual fall alright! I agree, it's difficult to capture spider webs in good light. I saw these while walking from my car to an appointment that I was late for but had to whip out the camera because the light was so good. Fortunately the other folks were later than I!

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  6. Your photos are fantastic! I particularly like the ones of the dried artichokes and the spiderwebs.

    Sheryl @ Flowery Prose

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    1. Thank you so much for stopping by and for the kind words, Sheryl!

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  7. This post should make Autumn lovers of us all (Loree, what say you?)

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    1. Therapy might help a little but Loree would have to really want to change.

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  8. Now those are the best damn cobweb images I have ever seen. Will have to share with my six nieces, pronto. Thanks for that opportunity. Must admit I prefer the fresh artichoke pix. Prettiest field I ever saw was many acres outside of Fresno. Beats a field of soybeans here in Kansas.

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    1. Thanks Patrick! I bet a field of artichokes would be gorgeous!

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  9. Love love love those leaves! Wish I had a camellia, too. :o)

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    1. Glad you like the leaves! You can grow camellias there, can't you? If so, the solution is quite simple...

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  10. Spiderwebs and autumn leaves, perfect seasonal combo. Not long now before all those leaves will be on the ground, which is nice in its own way.

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    1. Much as I dislike the cold weather and wetness that keeps us inside in the winter, I do love the tidying up that my overgrown garden gets during the season.

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  11. Yes, it's a bit sad to me, but autumn is here. I haven't seen any camellia blooms yet, though! Amazing! Your photos of the leaves are fabulous. Yep, looks like autumn!

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    1. Autumn is a sad time for gardeners although, the other day when we planted tulip bulbs an went to the pumpkin patch, I have to say that I enjoyed some of the charms of the season.

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  12. Those are some incredible spider webs. Our spiders are much less skilled, I guess. Maybe they need more practice. Your maple is glorious, ours are still pretty much green.

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    1. My spiders participated in a very informative webinar featuring a Charlotte something or other. Maybe you could let your spiders in on it. There are some maples round these parts that are still totally green, some that are holding brilliantly colored leaves, and others that have already started loosing their leaves. Crazy.

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  13. It's clearly spider season! (Here too - I keep walking into webs.)

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    1. Love spiders but don't like to run into the webs!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.