FALL FOLIAGE AND BERRIES END OF SEASON PICS!!

Nice berries!

The crows, in particular, have been feasting on the red twig dogwood berries on the cul de sac island. C. kousa fruits are cherry-sized, with a leathery skin, some big seeds, and some sweet, juicy pulp inside that tastes like... mango, maybe? The kids and I have been eating them, too, but Martina is the only other adult who has tried them, as far as I know. LOL

Some of the fruits are overripe now and fermenting... we had a drunken crow the other day, kept shaking his head and couldn't fly right. I guess he eventually slept it off, as he wasn't in the tree later that day.

Sounds like the makings of another article, Sally.

Good gosh. I am so far behind the curve on all these great shrubs you guys are talking about. Sounds like greek (or latin) to me LOL. My brain hurts too much to really start researching them now, but will make for some great reading in the winter.

I was finally able to post pictures of that lespedeza - don't know what was wrong with trying to get them uploaded yesterday.

That is a purty thing!!!!

Aspen, those flowers look like hummingbird magnets!

Critter, do birds eat the C. kousa berries, or are they too large for them?

Here's a couple things to show. It's getting dark now shortly after I get home from work. Super lame.

Hamamelis intermedia 'Arnold's Promise'. Our bigger one hasn't changed yet tho.
Rhododendron 'Girard Mt St Helens'
Rabdosia longituba - I showed a pic of this before but now the while thing is in full bloom

How lovely, aspenhill!

'' It's getting dark now shortly after I get home from work.'' Yup super lame, so sorry.

Those are three very pretty plants though, Seq.

I think that last one belongs in the marching band...

Here's what's been happening around the Valley, and my haunts...

**Callicarpa dichotoma free range seedling

**Viburnum dilatatum Vivacious Valley™

**Salvia guaranitica

**Sorbus alnifolia

**Nyssa sylvatica 'Autumn Cascade'

Beautiful, VV!
Gorgeous Viburnum you made there!

The C. kousa berries are staying around longer than I thought they would, so possibly that leathery covering is a challenge for some of the smaller birds... but the crows are having no trouble. They pluck a fruit and fly off with it, then return for another one... I think they dine elsewhere because they don't like the exposed location of the cul de sac trees. They're not very bold... if they see movement in my doorway, they take off.

Oh man, I like your Nyssa! If I could go back and do it all over again, that tree would be on the list for sure. That VV Viburnum has beautiful berries too :)

I like the orange leaves on that Hamamelis, Sequoia. It'll put on quite a show when it's larger.

VV, I had no idea that you were using your plant pollination prowess to create new cultivars. Congratulations on your latest creation.

Thanks Muddy! Our larger one is of the same and it usually puts on a good show. I'm not sure why the little one out front is looking so nice now though. Maybe from drought stress as it is a first year planting.

This might be a dumb question, but with those red berried dilatatum, how do you even know when you've created a new cultivar?

Pics from comm college campus
Oakleaf hyd. There are many.
Evergreen holly blooming now?
And its berries
Deciduous hollies. Yes? I posted these berries last wintet and the crop looks bountiful again.
Csllicarpa looked especially intense and deeper in person maybe they photograph light? New planting so i thought maybe new cv.

Good idea, Sally, to keep your camera handy as you go places.

Never know when a beautiful plant will show up.

Are you aware that the Photo Contest entries will end on Oct. 21st??
Maybe you can get some really good shots in before it closes.

I love to do the judging. It goes pretty fast for me. No thinking.
It is an instant "yes" or "No'.
Then, when it is narrowed down to my Favorites--I have to choose
the top 3 (#1--#2--#3) and that is that. Then off to the next category.

SS! You always have amazing pictures (great camera!). Try to enter some.

Jeff--you should try too! It's fun!
Winner gets one year's subscription to Dg and a free copy of the calendar
made up of all out #1 winner's pictures. To buy one costs around $20.

G.

sallyg:

Looks like #2 and #3 are Ilex x meserveae 'China Girl'. Great for all to see a FEMALE (pistillate) flower on a holly. Memorize that look - because all species are essentially identical - and you will always recognize the sex of the plant when in bloom. It's got the big green bump in the center (ovary?) which becomes the fruit after fertilization.

#4 is probably Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red'.

#5 is Callicarpa dichotoma.

China Girl is a pretty thing. Small very glossy leaves were softer than some other evergreen hollies. Thanks for confirming it was female flower as I thought.

I used my phone for those pix and apologize for my typing. I forgot that I could use the cable and transfer the pix to the laptop, and then not have to type on the phone

No apologies necessary. Show some whole pics of some of these sometime for those that don't know what they look like.

Here are some images intended to be inspirational to Seq's youngsters.

Viburnum dilatatum 'Michael Dodge' all grown up...

Gorgeous VV!!! Now if I could only get mine to berry that heavy...

Is that on your property? What's that red one next to the MD in pic 4? Perhaps and Iroquois?

Beautiful berries, VV

Hello " Mid Atlantic " gardeners!

This Tammy, and I'm at Gita's and I have " officially" joined D. G.

Hi Tammy - YAY!!!

Tammy!! HI! Congratulations!

Yay~!~! Go Tammy!

Hi Tammy!

Woohoo!!

Tammy---Welcome....Welcome.....♥ ♥ ♥

How is your exploration going?
Do jump back here and comment on whatever you want to say.
People have said :Hello" to you---glad you are aboard!

I forgot to give you some more plants I had put aside. may need to
bring them to work....'Tis just the beginning!!!! Me sharing plants, that is...

Gita

Hey there, Tammy. Glad you're on board officially now!

Welcome, Tammy! I'm glad you joined us.

Beautiful berries, VV!!! Wow!

I am rather lacking in the fruit and berry department :o). Knowing tonight was going to be a cold one, I cut some of the flowers. Hope the remaining ones in the garden get through tonight ok, but at least I have some to enjoy inside.

Monkshood and Japanese Anemone.

This message was edited Oct 19, 2014 8:37 PM

Thanks. I think I'd trade some of that fruit for those stellar flowers, though, donnerville.

And your gray feline avatar is about to die for...

VV, the gray cat was my dear tripod cat.

Well, both those images tell me that this cat was/is dearly loved - and knows it and appreciates it.

We have a gray boy and a big old orange boy, and your cat combines their characteristics.

Donner---
That is a stately, gorgeous vase of flowers!!! Beautiful!
I am saving this picture as well.

However--PLEASE be VERY careful with the Monkshood!!!
It is extremely toxic! Be careful when you empty the water from the vase--
or when you gather them to discard the flowers from the vase.
Wear gloves--that will help! I am NOT kidding!

I am SO jealous on how well and beautiful all your MOnkshoods are
knowing that they came from me. Maybe soon--I will find a spot that they
will be happy in. My pot is dug up but still sitting on the patio. It is looming...
I know where I will plant it--just have not gotten to it yet.

Bought 2 pots of Great Blue Lobelia on clearance at Lowes. $3. They are still sitting
on the patio floor too. Lots of yanking out of annuals and clearing out a spot
needs to be done before i can plant these.
I also still have 2 pots of the spreading, blue Verbena to find a place for.
It is growing wild--just in the pots.

Will let you know when I cut back the Brugs. May be later this week.

Gita

Donner, those are indeed beautiful flowers....and how wonderful of you to care for a 3-legged cat!

My Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' are starting to change...2 of them, that is. The first photo shows my Fothergillas and behind them, a Blueberry and my new Spicebush (and Yews, of course). That's a Silky Dogwood to the right.

I like the Fothergillas' fall color, but I'm not happy with their wimpy shapes. I think I need to cut them back.

Donner, that sure is a beautiful flower arrangement!!!

Yeah Donner, I love that display!

Muddy, that Fothergilla is a very pretty color. They remind me so much of witch-hazel in fall color and leaf shape.

"Fothergilla is a very pretty color. They remind me so much of witch-hazel in fall color and leaf shape." Same Family; a great family of plants!

Well there you have it! I don't like the Fothergilla's flowers as much though so as long as I can plant WH, I won't bother with a Fother....