Monday 22 October 2012

An Artist's Palette

Er, I'm not the artist.
I just appreciate the colours.

A few weeks ago, I featured Rhus typhina displaying this year's cones above its green leaves. And now, after a few cold nights, the leaves are changing colour. Rhus is one of the last trees to produce its leaves in spring, but also one of the first to lose them in the autumn. Although this plant is well known for its autumn display, it is very brief, and the next windy day will soon put paid to it.

We've only had a few cold nights so far, and the trees are only just beginning their autumn displays here. But I decided to take a walk and see what Nature had painted so far:

The first trees I came across were really a mixed bunch. The one in the centre is showing no colour change at all.

Ah, that's better. This shrub was just a little bit further down the road. Nature had been out with the paintbrush here.

Just around the corner, and in the distance, again a mixture, some showing autumn tints, and some not.

And finally, this beautiful specimen, planted in front of the local shops. Nature did a good paint job here, after doing her weekly shop, no doubt.

Cold weather is forecast for next weekend, so the autumn display should really get going by then, but snow showers are also forecast, which could make the display short-lived. So over the next week or so, whilst rushing around, why not stop a while and take a look at the trees, and marvel in Nature's art exhibition. And it's free.

22 comments:

  1. Great Autumn colour in your photos. It's such a lovely time of year to appreciate what's around us.

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    1. Since these photos were taken, some of the trees have already lost half of their leaves. A very short display this year.

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  2. Hi Crystal,

    The trees at work are looking amazing, there's some real gems this year... I don't think I've seen such an impressive show for a long time.
    I went to Clumber at the weekend, good forecast and a beautiful Saturday morning lulled me into a false sense of security as just as we arrived in Worksop we suddenly hit a wall of thick grey cloud.
    Sat around for an hour hoping it would clear and we'd be back in beautiful autumn sun. But no. So we gave up, visited my parents and came home wasting a glorious day and no nice photos to make up for it :(

    Should've just gone to Meersbrook or Graves instead.

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    1. How disappointing. I've had days like that.

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  3. Beautiful fall colors there, nature's paintbrush is the best.

    Snow so early would not be so nice, especially when it takes the leaves with it. We have a cold front that will cool us off a bit from the 94F/35C we've been hitting most days.

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    1. No snow just yet, but it's turned colder.

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  4. Jesień już zaczyna malować drzewa swoimi kolorami . Pozdrawiam.
    Autumn trees already beginning to paint their colors. Yours.

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  5. I wish we had some of the sun that you seem to be getting - here it is very foggy, drippy and murky. p.s. did you know you can eat the seedheads of the Rhus.

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    1. Ha ha, well I took the photos the day before the gloom set in. Been miserable weather ever since.
      Didn't know the rhus seedheads were edible.

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  6. Beautiful Autumn colours there Crystal. They always look so much nicer against a blue sky. Unfortunately we haven't had any of those here this week.

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    1. No we haven't seen the blue sky either since these photos were taken.

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  7. I was tempted to stay cosy indoors today, but maybe I will go for a walk after all.

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    1. Wrap up warm though, it's cold out there.

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  8. Rhus must have been at the back of the queue, never mind at least she goes out with a zing. Great shots of the Autumn colour on your walkabout.

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    1. Nearly all gone now, the display only lasted about a week.

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  9. You did some great shots. I just got back from Cork, Ireland a few days ago and got a good soak in this beautiful autumn colours.

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    1. My most memorable autumn display was seen from a train over the Pennines to Manchester many years ago. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera with me then.

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  11. Wonderful colors. I think we will have no autumn color at all this year, so I very much enjoy yours!

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    1. Sorry to hear you won't have much colour this autumn. We've had a good display this year, but very brief.

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