23 Nov 2013

Autumn Branklyn Garden 2

by | posted in: Gardening | 9

 

Branklyn garden in Ocotober
strong colour statements and textures that draw the eye further into the garden

The Allure of Autumn continues today with part two of my autumn Branklyn Garden series. Flowers need not apply! ... they're a bit of an understatement at this time of year as most have taken refuge underground. In October there's nothing quite like walking into a garden and being surrounded by a tapestry of rich warm foliage colours. It's the trees and their hues of burnt oranges, ambers and reds that arrest the attention.

They're the soul of the garden ....

Branklyn Garden in October
acers with their ornamental snake-bark markings on the trunks and branches

A Tapestry of Colour

Hues and tints that stop you in your tracks.

Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.

~ Elizabeth Lawrence

Branklyn Gardens in October

Stewartia monadelpha displaying red leaves in Branklyn Garden in October

Further along the path there's the blazing red from the rare Japanese native Stewartia tree.

It's All In The Detail

For all the leaf peepers and those that enjoy momijigari  here's a closer look at some of the October foliage from the garden...

Stewartia monadelpha displaying red leaves in Branklyn Garden in October
leathery bright red Stewartia monadelpha leaves

Colours that Demand Attention

Branklyn Garden in October
colourful leaf litter
golden acer leaves in autumn
finely dissected Japanese acer leaves

Striking Colours

rhododendron leaves in autumn at Branklyn garden.
deciduous rhododendron leaves
autumn leaves in Branklyn Garden in October
glimmers of gold and amber foliage

Dramatic Colours

Liquidambar styraciflua in Branklyn Garden in October
the striking colours from Liquidambar styraciflua | American Sweetgum leaves.
peeling tree bark at Branklyn garden in Ocotober
... and finally the juxtaposition of the red acer and Betula albosinensis var. septentrionalis  | Chinese red bark birch

 

In closing  I'll leave you with a dichotomy between two tree types.  In October the acer has such fiery dramatic foliage. This contrasts so well with the sheets of flaky bark and horizontal lenticels (pores) on the bark of the Chinese red bark birch. 

Interested in this topic?  You might enjoy some more articles from this garden:

Follow Rosie Nixon:

Photography Tutor and Gardener

Rosie is a garden photographer, writer and nature lover. She enjoys soaking up nature and is easily distracted from doing the weeding by anything that flutters, flies, buzzes, creeps or crawls! She enjoys sharing the beauty of creation through her photography. Rosie has been featured on TV on BBC2's The Beechgrove Garden and she uses the outdoors as her natural light studio. Her work can be seen at one of Scotland's only photography galleries - Close Gallery, 4b Howe Street, Edinburgh. She also writes and shares her nature images on www.irelandbirdphotography.com

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9 Responses

  1. Melanie J Watts
    |

    What a lovely garden. I've enjoyed looking at your photos of it on this post and the posts you've linked too. Nature is so pretty. Over here nature is fast disappearing beneath snow. It's snowing again as I write this…

  2. rusty duck
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    Gorgeous photos Rosie. It's easy to overlook bark with all that glorious leaf colour around, but it's just as beautiful isn't it?

  3. Janet/Plantaliscious
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    So beautiful. I admire the skill of those with the vision to plant trees "knowing" what the effect will be in decades to come. And as you say, who needs flowers with colours and shapes, contrasts in light and shade like that. Thank you for a dose of autumn that I think I would have to travel quite a distance to experience living here.

  4. ann
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    What a beautiful park. The colors are almost deafening. And I love your banner. Happy Thanksgiving.

  6. Mark and Gaz
    |

    What a lovely, rich tapestry of colour, autumn is fab! We've always loved the bark of the tree, and thanks for reminding again why. We might even finally plant one in our garden next year!

  8. Millymollymandy
    |

    Glorious! You can't beat a garden which has trees from around the world which colour up so much more beautifully (unfortunately) than a lot of our native trees. I've learned a new word too. 🙂 Thanks for sharing these delightful images of this wonderful garden, Rosie.