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

Monday, November 1, 2010

There's Gold In Them There Hills, Valleys and Hollers

Shagbark Hickory shining over the garden

It's finally fall at Clay and Limestone and we're celebrating! Let's see what's going on!

Hedge the Enormous
Even Hedge has gotten in on the excitement and is showing his colors

'Diane' Witch hazel
Every way you turn there's a new bit of golden glow to focus upon

Panicum virgatum 'Northwind'
It's not as rich as past years...
'Rusty'~Viburnum rufidulum before the winds blew the leaves off
But, you cannot beat the burgundy of Viburnum rufidulum~I love Rusty, you will, too.
Garden of Benign Neglect~iteas, oakleaf hydrangeas and witch hazels
A garden of native shrubs, small trees and perennials that compliment one another~


The brilliant color of itea paired with a perfect cobalt pot

Or, how varied the leaves of an Oakleaf hydrangea can be on one shrub.

If you like those fall colors, you're might appreciate

Ostrya virginiana~a small native tree that loves dry shady gardens! It's across the garden from its twin The Dancing Tree!

But, if all that gold and burgundy flash is too much, have a seat on The Waiting Bench.

From there we can see the asters.
and catch a glimpse of visiting bumbles and skippers on Ryan's Yellow (Chrysanthemum x morifolium)


Perhaps, we'll still be able to see the sky through the leaves of the dogwood~
For sure we'll see Aster oblongifolius (Symphyotrichum) it's blooming and blooming and blooming.
and, Pineapple Sage will be with us until the frost arrives to herald big changes.



Lean back and relax~You deserve the break~It's been a long growing season!


xxoo, gail


Please join our host, Dave, The Home Garden and other participants in celebrating the Fall Color project.






Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.
William Cullen Bryant

43 comments:

  1. It is stupendous in them thar hills, Gail! The waiting bench seems the perfect spot to view it all, too. Even hedge is looking mighty fine. Fall is fabulous in TN! :-)
    Frances

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  2. The color variety you have is stunning. Lots of gold but I like all the reds too.

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  3. We have peaked with the color but still finding some good shots. I like the translucence when the sun catches them. The reds in the undergrowth really show up now.What a wonderful selection to share.I spent the weekend digging bulbs and tubers that need to come in, followed by adding tulips and mulching my spent leaves.
    Steve

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  4. Your garden is glowing in fall color! I love it all, even Hedge. I think I need an Ostrya virginica or 3. It sounds like it would be happy here.

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  5. Beautiful Gail! The Hickory has some awesome color - I love the golds of fall. The Oak Leaf Hydrangeas also look great. It is amazing how different the leaves can be from the same plant. That aster looks like a fireworks sparkler - very cool! Thanks for joining in the Fall Color Project!

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  6. I'm loving all of your gold--and SO glad that Hedge is still around to show his!--but that oakleaf hydrangea leaf is captivating. It looks like someone tacked green rickrack along the outside edge... I love it! :)

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  7. Gail your fall color is so beautiful! I'm wondering if oakleaf hydrangea will grow here in Austin...Now that November has arrived, I may have some fall color here in a couple of weeks :-)

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  8. Hi Gail, What a sweet post, and as usual full of info I can use - that Ostrya virginiana is definitely covetable!

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  9. Indeed, there's gold in them there hills, Gail! In awe of the varied leaves in your Oakleaf hydrangea. Mine are still stunning too and getting better each day. Happy November :)

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  10. What gorgeous fall color you have Gail. You captured the golden sunshine in some of these photos too. Happy November.

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  11. Talk about eye candy....wow,what colors you have.
    Love those bird houses and the cobalt blue pot.

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  12. Magnificent Fall colors. Of course they are best in Tn. Wish I could see it for myself.

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  13. Gail, you have a lot of amazing fall color in your garden! As always your images amaze me with their beauty.

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  14. What a lovely post, Gail, that is aside from the grammatical errors in the title, lol:) Such beautiful golds, too; who needs the other kind? I love the photo of the oakleaf hydrangea leaves, too; how interesting to see all the different variations.

    We were thinking along the same lines this morning with fall color...and William Cullen Bryant as well:) I took my oldest grandson shopping for jeans this afternoon, and I'm sure he must think I'm a little "tetched" because I kept looking up at the trees and exclaiming over all the gorgeous color above us. This is the time of year, though, when I don't want to miss a a bit of Nature's big show!

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  15. Those first couple photos really are golden Gail. It looks spectacular there. You're right, we do deserve a rest after summer. It's the one good thing about winter ~ I just hope it won't be a long rest! I prefer a shorter winter and a longer spring.... :-) But I'm not telling you anything new.
    Enjoy that glorious color that surrounds you.

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  16. Wow. I loved the Shagbark Hickory last time I saw it on your blog, but now it's beyond compare. Just stunning! I love the shot of the skipper and bumble sharing a flower. It is the season, we've been overrun with skippers this fall!

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  17. Oh Gail that is no fools gold! Glorious colors and the light! Magic. I love your shagbark and if you ever come to visit, you will see its twin here. Fall is fading in Western Massachusetts but fully glowing in your world. I love your Aster! Beautiful post! ;>)

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  18. Gail,
    Aren't we lucky to be in the midst of fall color in the Southeastern U.S?

    It may not be the best year, but it's totally wonderful regardless.

    Cheers,
    Lisa

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  19. It looks beautiful! Those shagbark hickories are just stunning!

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  20. Love all the colors and combos. That purple bench is stunning in any season!

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  21. Looks as if Clay and Limestone is embracing the change of season. Lovely autumn colors all around your Gail. If you are interested in growing loofah sponges drop by..

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  22. Beautiful pictures - the Oakleaf Hydrangea is particulaly lovely. The purple bench fits right in amongst all the glorious colours.

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  23. Gail there are terrific colours around Clay and limestone just now. If there was one that really draws my attention it has to be the variation in coloured leaves from the oakleaf hydrangea. I would love to just sit and watch all your glorious wildlife from that bench. There is hardly any wildlife to be seen in my garden now as they have started to hibernate.

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  24. Just beautiful -- I love it. That Shagbark Hickory is magnificent. We grow the rusty viburnum here too, but I think you get better color than we do. Thanks for sharing!

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  25. After the hellish weather you have had this year, you and your garden deserve a little gold.

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  26. You've got some really stunning photos of all the color in them thar hills. Love the saying too! Off to check that hophornbeam. It looks nice but I think I have too many understory trees now:( But you just never know....

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  27. Oh, that's beautiful, Gail! Makes me long for a visit to the east.

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  28. I had Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum recommended to me by friend Otahal. I may have to find a place for one. Your fall colors are glorious!

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  29. I love the golds of the hickories this time of year. I found I also have a number of the Ostrya virginiana in my wooded area. What fun to find, and ID, some goodies in the forest.

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  30. The garden of benign neglect sounds like my kind of place! I do love all the wonderful fall colors, and your purple bench adds the perfect compliment. I am sad when I see all the leaves falling, so evocative of the time of year, imaging the emotions that come with the end of another season. But at the same time they are so beautiful!

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  31. All the fall colors, they are gorgeous on a sunny day. Reminds me of the Elizabeth Lawrence quote, "Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."

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  32. Hi Gail, your autumnal colours are beautiful. The hedgerow is stunning.....the colours are just so rich.

    This is my favourite season......

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  33. Hi, Gail!
    Oooohhh... I am lovin' those birdhouses! And, the glorious autumn colors. This is such a wonderful time of year.

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  34. Hi!
    The colors in the pictures are so beautiful that I could not resist having a detailed insight of the blog. I especially loved the photos of Oak leaf and enormous hedge. Autumn definitely has a lot of charm in its own way :)

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  35. I love the bench photo and the one of the oakleaf hydrangea. I looked for similar leaves on our red oaks but didn't find them this year. Fall lasts only a short time so your great photos capture it well. Thanks, Joan

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  36. Such beauty, and so much color. A strong wind blew most of ours away last week. But we still have the glorious oak leaves.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

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  37. gail,

    you have captured fall in all it's glory so very well. the colours you have added into the garden really look great against the burnished background of autumn.
    happy fall to you.

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  38. The post at gardenbloggers led me here and I am glad I found you. I am your newest follower, and love your golden yellow fall tribute. The cobalt pot is vibrant in contrast.

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  39. Wow, amazing photos! And having just tried to make some similar pictures of trees blazing in fall colors, I appreciate how beautiful yours look.

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  40. Hi Gail, your garden must be at it's peak, during autumn! So full of colour! I always thought spring was my favourite season, but I think I'm changing. Autumn is great - at least until all leaves fall off.
    Take care!

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