Autumn is Awesome!

It seems to have happened almost overnight.  Autumn arrived in Toronto in all her blazing glory.  I've been going for long, slow walks with my camera, exploring neighbourhoods, park gardens and an old cemetery.  In sunshine and shadow, the colours are amazing!  Nature combines colours brilliantly!

I love these grape vines growing on a weathered cedar fence, along a neighbourhood laneway.  The tiny grapes were barely visible behind the wall of grape leaves.  It was only when I came across a bare patch of leaves, that I noticed the deep blue-black of the fruit.

The leaves are broad and thick like grape leaves, however, the grapes are so small, they look more like blueberries.  It's possible that they are Champagne grapes.

 

Around the corner, and down another street, Virginia Creeper has crept up a utility pole, and is beginning to form an arch on overhanging electrical wires.  The vibrant, fiery oranges and burnt sienna, highlight the buttery yellow of the smaller leaves.

Colour isn't the only contrast with this plant.  While its flowing vines of delicate leaves may appear fragile, this is a very hardy plant, which will grow anywhere - facing North, South, East or West - in the coldest of climates.  Also known as American Ivy, the vine will grow as high as 15 metres, or 50 feet, and is often seen on the sides of buildings, or on trellis gates.    

Between people staring down at Autumn photos on their iphones, and everyone else staring up into the trees, I'm surprised that Fall isn't the peak time for falls!  On my walks, I've seen many others capturing their own version of an iconic Fall image:  the yellow, orange, and green leaves of an aging tree, against a clear blue sky.  

The late afternoon sun is a little lower on the horizon, but the light through the Maples is spectacular!  As every Canadian knows only too well, despite the song, the maple leaf ain't forever.  November's winds will blow the leaves from their branches.  Then, everything will be covered in a white blanket of snow, and Torontonians will be curling up with their heirloom Hudson's Bay blankets, and mugs of hot coffee...For now, I'm enjoying my urban nature walks in the land of the Maple leaf!

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.

Thanksgiving Gifts

It's Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.  I took a walk through the park next door, and was awestruck by the abundance of colour, and shapes in the garden.  The Maple tree on the path leading to the garden, is ablaze with colour, even though its leaves are still green.  How could that be?  Fiery orange leaves and deep purple berries of Virginia Creeper vines, have intertwined through the green leafed branches of the tree.

Take a virtual walk with me, and enjoy the gifts of the garden...it will be a feast for the eyes! 

Carefree and breezy Japanese Anenomes - the essence of a late Summer day - continue to thrive in abundance.  These add so much life to an Autumn garden.  Their bright pink and yellow faces, seem to laugh at the coming Winter.  

The Daisies aren't ready to say goodbye to Summer either.  The buds promise that they'll soon burst open by the hundreds.  

These days, the buzzing of the bees is a little quieter, although they can still be seen drifting from flower to flower.  This pale honey-coloured bee was silently working on a blue-centred African Daisy.

We don't think of yellow Irises and deep blue Lavender as part of a Thanksgiving bouquet.  They're usually found in an Easter, or Mothers' Day arrangement.  Yet, here is a shorter variety which grows strong and vibrant in Ocober.

Here's another Thanksgiving surprise... this candy cane striped Dahlia reminds me of Christmas!  What a festive garden! 

The Dahlias have really thrived this year, blooming from May through the Fall season.  The ones in the park next door, have produced bloom after beautiful, healthy bloom of brightly coloured flowers.  There's so much variety too...

The once billowy, angelic looking Paniculata Hydrangea have turned to shades of pink and light maroon - their tender petals, now dry and paper thin.  

A rock star in rock gardens, Sedum Cauticola is only starting to bloom now.  A native of Japan, this plant produces thousands of tiny starbursts of pink flowers every Fall.   

There's such a variety of colour, size and shape of plants in the garden at this time of year.  The muted colours and soft feathery stalks of Japanese Pampas Grass, add contrast and interest in the garden. 

Even the remains of Black Eyed Susan flowers are oddly attractive in this garden...

Thank you for taking this lovely walk with me.  Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.  Oh, look!  The garden has a bouquet of roses for us!

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.