Garden Photo of the Day

Fall in Gail’s Rhode Island garden (5 photos)

Photo/Illustration: All photos courtesy of Gail Mowrer

Today’s photos are from Gail Mowrer. She says, “This is my Barrington, Rhode Island, garden in the fall. I love gardening far more than I have time for it, so my gardens are never very neat, but I love the wilder look and try to just go with it. Fall is a great time when the color and structure of a plant stand center stage as opposed to the flowers, and the fallen leaves hide the sneaky weeds.

“I have a suburban lot that was bulldozer scraped clean when we bought the house in ’99. All the structure and plants, including the trees, were put in by my husband and I. I tend to plant by feel more than design, but over time the plants themselves show the way.”

Gorgeous, Gail! Now we MUST see photos from other seasons…..

**** The push is still on–get outside and take some last minute shots, or compile a few you took earlier in the season. I’ll be eternally grateful…. Email them to [email protected]. Thanks! ****

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Comments

  1. user-1020932 11/06/2013

    the tree in the 2nd photo looks like a big BBQ potato chip, i'm loving all this fall color from everywhere is it a sugar maple?
    that stackstone wall in the 3rd pic looks snazzy as well. watch over that large stone because i'm sure Vojt is planning a midnight raid to get it out of there!

  2. jagardener 11/06/2013

    Such beautiful fall colors. A pity that that the leaves eventually fall off.

  3. wGardens 11/06/2013

    Beautiful Fall photos!!! I hope to see more photos next year... would love to see your gardens each season!

  4. flowerladydi 11/06/2013

    Beautiful Maple's Gail!,,,, I hope you can enjoy them for a bit yet !,,,,I wait all year for these colors!,,,, wish it lasted longer!
    Ut us akk great! love the stone!

  5. beehaven 11/06/2013

    The maple is a red maple, I think it is an Autumn Blaze, proving its name. The lovely warm brown is a star magnolia. We scrounged the big rock from a neighbor who thought it got in the way of her kids playing soccer. I would have dozens more rocks if i could.

  6. User avater
    meander_michaele 11/06/2013

    Such splenfiferous (hmmm, that's one of those words that I'm never sure is real but it just jumped to mind looking at your opening picture) fall color, Gail. I have one tree that gets that amazing red although not every year. You should have such a sense of well being that all that beauty is the result of your and your husband's hard work and your partnership with Mother nature.
    Is that a paperbark maple behind the Hamlin (?) grass in photo #3?
    I identify with your gardening philosophy of how somehow the plants help us figure out where they should go.

  7. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 11/06/2013

    You know, it's really difficult for me to steal rocks when Jeff keeps alerting people! :). those are some great ones, but the fall colors are stealing the show. Beautiful!

  8. dukeofargy 11/06/2013

    Love it all. I especially like that 1st photo with the bird house in the foreground. Great shot.

    I love fall with its wonderful colours. We did not get colours as nice as yours this year, but "c'est la vie".

    I just got back from France and saw a lot of gardens there. They do not get the colour that we do here,- at least I did not see it. Lots of dahlias though. Maybe I should post a few photos from there so you can compare and see just how lovely your place is.

  9. wildthyme 11/06/2013

    Gail, the colors are absolutely stunning, but also your plant combinations. If you are planting 'by feel' then your feelings are spot on! The stone, the grasses, the path, rhe weathered wood all works together in a way that looks like it could have happened on its own. Is that amsonia in the foreground of the first photo?

  10. beehaven 11/06/2013

    Thank you all. Yes, that is a paperbark maple by the grass. This particular tree had amazing color this fall and I think it was a result of not just weather, but last winter it was badly damaged in that big snow storm we had. A large part of the tree broke off and I had to have it trimmed aggressively. I think it actually is better since then.

  11. Jamesjoseph 11/06/2013

    I really like the fall colors and the way you planted things.I look forward to seeing more pictures.

  12. tractor1 11/06/2013

    Spectacular fall foliage, too bad it doesn't last long enough. Gail, your property sure doesn't look like it was bulldozed only a few short years ago, your plantings look quite mature, great job!

  13. DonnaJones 11/06/2013

    Wow, your garden is bright and beautiful at a time of year when most are fading! Beautiful and effective plantings!

  14. Ms. Ivy 11/06/2013

    I'm sitting here in Florida and have lost all sense of when such beautiful color occurs. When were your pictures taken? I have to plan a trip for next autumn!

  15. cwheat000 11/06/2013

    Fall is an easy season to forget when picking out plants in the mad spring rush. Your yard is a good reminder not to do that. The fall colors are many and wonderful. You did create nice structure, so when you inevitably run out of time to weed, as we all do, I think it will be fine. I too, would love to see more in the spring. Dukeofargy, I would also love to see your Paris photos, even in if they weren't taken for this site in mind. Fourteen years has matured things more than I would expect. Just beautiful!

  16. beehaven 11/06/2013

    That is an amsonia in the foreground of the birdhouse. I have several varieties of amsonia and as pretty as the blue flowers are, it is the almost shrublike plant and the great fall color I plant it for. These pictures were taken October 30th and the maple is already almost bare now. The best color hits just before the leaves fall.

  17. cwheat000 11/06/2013

    Dukeofargy, did you go to Paris or somewhere else in France? I should proofread.

  18. sheila_schultz 11/06/2013

    If clothing and interior designers had a chance to see these photos, 50 shades of red would be the new color palette for the next decade! My gosh, Mother Nature sure knows what she's doing... especially with your help, Gail. Your kind of wild design is right up my alley ;) Glad you had your camera handy!

  19. janetsfolly 11/06/2013

    Gail, these ar some great shots of a lovely space, bee haven indeed! (haven for a bee would be a haven for me!) Love the rocks, the plant choices and placement, the Fall colors and the overall spirit of your garden. Yep, more photos come Spring, please!
    And I agree, pics of French gardens sound intriguing, dukeofargy.

    Jeff, I just looked at yesterday's post, great as always and I agree with all the comments. This quote came to mind, "and there in the wood a piggy-wig stood...". On a serious note, I've killed at least 3 acanthus, I think because of my heavy clay soil/dampness. Any suggestions from this august group would be most welcome as I really want to grow this plant!

  20. GrannyMay 11/06/2013

    This time of year is when the red maples pop! Beautiful! And as you have noticed, Gail, it is different each year, so a supporting cast of other shrubs and trees that colour up as well keep the visual flames going longer. Love your garden!

  21. GardenersWK 11/06/2013

    Superb fall pictures! Bravo!

  22. bee1nine 11/06/2013

    Gail, Wonderful images of your garden with its naturalized
    beauty enrobed in late October hues. I'm assuming the seed heads are left for your birds.
    Glorious fall color I so agree with everyone on the maples.
    BEAUTIFUL!!

  23. MizScarlet 11/07/2013

    Beautiful color.

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