Now it's late in October, and we've been having typical New England fall weather. I took these pictures on Monday the 23rd. On Thursday, it was 77 degrees and I dozed off in the sun while reading out in my hammock. As I write this on the Sunday, it's snowing! As I said, typical New England fall weather.
In the garden, many flowers are still blooming, including the Daisybush (Olearia) that my
mother gave me many years ago. Native to Australia and New Zealand, Olearia is not officially hardy in zone 6,
but my mother never let that stop her. The top does die back during the winter, but the roots
are hardy, and the little bush is always covered with daisy-like flowers
right through fall. And that unknown flower that was blooming in July is still
hanging on, although a little the worse for wear.
Fall color also comes from the red berries of the viburnum and the mauve
berries of the purple beautyberry (Callicarpa).
But my favorite fall colors are the bright reds of the Virginia creeper climbing up the trunk of the white birch and the burning bush (Alatus compactus) glowing against the blue sky.