Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

I Am Not All About Wildflowers!

But, I am a lot about them!
I'm also pretty fond of the native shrubs and trees that make up the understory and canopy at Clay and Limestone.
They are ornamenting the garden with their brilliant costumes as the entire garden prepares for the annual Clay and Limestone Autumn Dance.
Not yet dressed in her golden ball gown

No one will argue that the Queen of the garden is the Dancing Tree. She is guarded over by the tallest oaks and hickories. She has a graceful presence matched by no other at C and L.
The King of the garden,  Rusty is waiting patiently for the Dancer to make her entrance. He's donned his famous rusty red fall dinner jacket and is wearing a drupe boutonnière.


Soon the Queen and King will lead the procession across their small garden kingdom. Rusty and the Dancing Tree will dance the last dance before the long winter rest. She will be adorned in golden yellows and he will sport a deep burgundy suit with hints of green.


The crowd will  bow to their beauty.
xoxogail


Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

18 comments:

  1. How could they not?~~Dee

    ReplyDelete
  2. How lovely are the decorations for the ball, dear Gail! Everything looks nearly ready for the belle and her beau. The joint will be rockin'!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is it autumn already? Your garden colors are wonderful.

    It doesn't look like fall here in Paris. I expected no leaves on the trees and autumn colors, but it looks like late summer...but, with rain.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I used to have thes asters all over but alas they have disappeared!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love the Sea Oats! And the Asters look so pretty draping over the blue bench. Enjoy the pageantry and the dance!

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Autumn Dance at Clay and Limestone must be quite a spectacular affair! I can see that it's not a black tie gala--the golds and russets of everyone's gowns are much lovelier. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I feel exactly the same way! I have blackhaw but not rusty viburnum, and no Ostrya sad to say. But i do have my favorites Spicebush, Serviceberry, Grey Dogwood, and Red and Black Elderberry.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Heidi/Woodland GardenOctober 11, 2012 at 10:29 AM

    Absolutely delightful post!! Thank-you for it, it really fed my spirit and brightened my mood.

    ReplyDelete
  9. We will soon have our own fall ball here. Lovely shots.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This made my day! Thanks for capturing it so beautifully.

    ReplyDelete
  11. So many colorful spots in your fall garden to charm my spirit! love that purple bench, as usual.

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a wonderful dance in your fall garden...everyone is decked out in the finest colors...

    ReplyDelete
  13. The color just hasn't started here yet and I'm getting impatient. Gorgeous photos!

    ReplyDelete
  14. The way you describe your garden, makes me wait in anticipation for it's beauty to shine, there is no dread of winter in my heart when I read this.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

    ReplyDelete
  15. I like the setting of the birdbath. The form fits the plants well. Jack

    ReplyDelete
  16. Beautiful! Fall is just starting here and the colors are all still tinged with green. Wonderful post! I love the metaphor of a royal ball.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Did I also see some zig zag goldenrod in one of those photos?

    ReplyDelete

"Insects are the little things that run the world." Dr. E O Wilson