More about autumn

24 Apr '06 3:57 am

Here are some shots taken on Saturday's walk; Jacqueline's questions made me decide to do some labeling...
The left half of the 'autumn reflections' photo contains an avenue of pinoaks (Quercus palustris) that colour well but not spectacularly. In front of them are mainly Ouhout (Afrikaans for 'old wood') which are endemic to the farm - a sign that trout will love the water if they grow nearby! (We are philistines who don't fish, but my grandfather bought the farm for its trout water.)
There's a slight break with a yellow tree showing in the middle of the pic. It is what we call here a 'wild flowering cherry' and I have not identified it positively. It has small, rather fleeting white flowers on long stalks but eventually becomes a huge and grand tree with massive horizontal limbs, long and dark carrying the most delicate sprays of white blossoms at their ends. My favourite tree on the whole mountain is one of these on the neighbour's farm.
Then follow the abtly named liquodambers; 4 of them which I planted in the late 80s. They are the most reliable autumn colour in much of South Africa and have a five-fingered maple-like leaf.
There's a splash of yellow immediately in front of them, as well as a larger one reflected in the water. It is Parottia persica, the Persion Ironwood. Next to the front one is my best example of a Nyssa; I planted it almost on top of the parrotia, which showed signs of dying. But like a true Arab it objected to the competition and immediately revived. Now, 10 years after germinating the Nyssa, they are becoming one of the most striking sights of autumn.
The rounded shape on the right is a late - and therefore usually spectacular because of colder conditions, Acer palmatum or Japanes maple. Not really visible in the composition are several cornus florida, berberis and other plants chosen for their autumn leaves.

25 Apr '06 1:13 pm

Jack - you legend. What beautiful pictures. Ha! I spied the wee flax (love them to bits!). I figure that you get vaguely the same seasons as we do in New Zealand. The Liquid Ambers here are hopeless for colour - maybe our autumns are too dry, or too warm? I love the reflection colours, wish my pond was a lake....

25 Apr '06 7:58 pm

Especially, the 3rd one with the sky reflection in rainbow colors - it's a feast for my tired eyes! The 2nd scenery too with its kaleidoscope of colors - beautiful!

Thanks, Jack for sharing in great detail! I'm doing you injustice with my short memory Embarassed

26 Apr '06 12:17 am

No, Jacqueline! I think we are all in communication because we want to learn from each other. You are quite right that we should share information. Occasionally detailed info about the plants in pics makes them more valuable to all. Don't be embarressed! (As a teacher I am fully in favour of those who ask questions Very Happy

)

26 Apr '06 5:41 pm

Actually it's good to remember that there can be different commercial names for plant varieties in our different countries. Unless one is understanding this, it can get very confusing. Ha - even argumentative! Canna lilies have always worried me - their names seem very country specific. I'm sure I read somewhere that Jack's Praetoria (i.e. in South Africa) is my Bengal Tiger (i.e. in New Zealand).

You often meet scary gardeners who know absolutely every label/name/detail about the plants in their garden. Then there are those who choose to be deliberately vague, saying 'oh, I don't know any names'. The nicest place to be is possibly in the middle somewhere!

The local breeder I get my daffodils from has no names - his bulbs are classified by letters, numbers and dashes. Imagine if I started raving on about my new PT-140-32s! Not that I can remember any of their serial numbers, mind you...

26 Apr '06 6:33 pm

Yes, Moosey, I agree, that the ideal is somewhere in the middle -- like in all things in life, when you just discuss generally about a plant. Or, if you already have it, because you bought it directly from a nursery in the past, and its beauty and not its name was of great importance for you when you bought it. By the way, I have no idea of the botanical names of none of my Rhododendrons or deciduous Azaleas!! But there were nonexistant at the nursery, too!! And I have certain Rose beauties in my garden, bought in the same way, by the name " Rosa"!! Thank you very much!!

But : if you need to order properly a plant (: via Internet), and before to order it, to know all about it, then one should search in one's plant Encyclopedia. And THEN the problem arises, if you don't know properly -- scientifically --the plant's name...Because all the serious plant books - and nurseries - mainly include the technical names of the plants. And if it is a French book, probably includes its common name in parenthesis in French , and an English book its English common name. I happen to be personally confused some times, when I read or hear about an unknown(?) plant by its common/non botanical name , even with an existing photo . Plus the fact, that my mother language is Greek, and I had started learning all the plants' names in their scientific version (:at Junior High School) from the very beginning , still learning English...And --I guess -- the same happens with the Japanese, Chinese, Danish, Arabs, etc, whose mother languages are particularly difficult -- like the Greek -- and not widely spoken and known, like the English, German, or French...

So , if I want to search properly for a Daylily/Belle d'un Jour (:French) , it is more helpful for me to know from the very beginning, that its real name is Hemerocallis.

More about autumn

More about autumn

Beautiful tree colours

Lovely Pictures!

All about info!

Labels , Names...

Labels/names