Comments

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 12/02/2015

   my favorite colors in the fall garden. deep, rich and full bodied. love it all

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/02/2015

   Indeed!

2. 
   greengenes 12/02/2015

   Sounds like a good bottle of wine!

2. 
   diane_lasauce 12/02/2015

   If readers notice the incorrect identification placement of photos, here is the correct info... 1. Oakleaf hydrangea 2. O'Neil Blueberry 3. Japanese Maple...

1. 
   jeffgoodearth 12/02/2015

   I noticed but thought it was an early morning pop quiz :) keeping us on our toes

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/02/2015

   Fine sense of humor Jeff!

2. 
   Susan_Jensen_Smith 12/02/2015

   I need more coffee to pull that off!

2. 
   Susan_Jensen_Smith 12/02/2015

   Ha! Fixed it (might take a minute or two for it to show)

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/02/2015

   Thanks Susan. Must be the turkey hangover! ;-)

3. 
   NCYarden 12/02/2015

   Brilliant display. I can actually feel the warmth from these photos. Nothing quite like this season. Thanks for sharing.

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/02/2015

   Thank you NC.

4. 
   meander_michaele 12/02/2015

   Wow, what an all round superstar that O'Neil blueberry cultivar is...awesome fall color and beautiful and tasty fruit. Was it the main contributor to that yummy looking blueberry jam/preserves that you shared in an earlier round of photos? I know if I go back and relook at that particular picture, I will have a drool response! And, aren't those colorful clumps of nandina berries a real visual treat? I don't know if any of the named varieties of nandina produce such generous displays of berries. My "Gulfstreams' sure don't hold a candle to the common unnamed type.

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/02/2015

   Hi Meander1, Yes the blueberry leaves seen here are on the same shrubs that produced those earlier berries. I so enjoyed your comments! The O'Neil gives triple seasonal bang here; their flowers are divine and attract pollinators, the fruit is worth hoarding, and their fall color is off the charts.

5. 
   annek 12/02/2015

   My favorite colors and season of the year are exemplified in your fabulous garden. I'm off to check out your blog!

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/02/2015

   Thank you Annek. I look forward to your comments on my garden blog. There are 160+ posts, so make sure and explore the search bars by topic and season. Happy Holidays!

2. 
   greengenes 12/02/2015

   Hi Annek!

1. 
   annek 12/03/2015

   Hey greengenes-girlfriend!

6. 
   greengenes 12/02/2015

   What a wakeup call! Bright and full of warmth! Great photos of fall's treasures! The oak hydrangeas have always been my favorite of the hydrangeas. Thanks Diane for sharing!

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/02/2015

   Jeanne, one Oakleaf has provided me with seven offspring...the ones seen in these photos. She did not like her first location, yet when moved, she spreads her seeds to babes that grace another tough area in my central VA gardens. Nearly bulletproof shrubs...I like, indeed.

1. 
   greengenes 12/02/2015

   Wow! That's great they reseed. I didn't know that. I have always taken cuttings and stuck them in the ground...Well have a wonderful remainder of the this year! Thanks for sharing with us!

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/03/2015

   Jeanne, every spring I find a sprouted seed in the form of one leaf on the surface of the mulch in numerous places in that deep shrub border. Most times I remove, yet if I miss one or two, I let them develop, then share them with a friend. Gardening is all about sharing, yes?
   Happy Holidays and thanks for your kind comments. Diane

7. 
   wGardens 12/02/2015

   Lovely! Thanks for sharing such vibrancy on a dark and rainy day!

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/02/2015

   Glad to cheer your day Margaret. Thanks to FG who provides this platform for sharing...

8. 
   GrannyMay 12/02/2015

   Colours that warm the spirit - much needed at this chilly time of year! Beautiful! Thank you Diane!

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/02/2015

   Thank YOU GrannyMay. In the past I have dreaded November, yet in the past two seasons here in central VA, deep, rich hues this month blow me away...and it never hurts to have a hot mug in one's hand. Happy Holidays!

9. 
   Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 12/02/2015

   Oh, Diane, these photos are so full of rich and luscious color. I am finally appreciating autumn and feel like I've missed a lot of rich color and garden joy from years passing over autumn because of the impending winter! Gorgeous! Isn't Oakleaf Hydrangea the best?

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/02/2015

   Tim, I am beginning to think November is the best month for color here in central VA. I added a few more photos if Susan can add them to this post. Overcast, yet bright days make for awesome views and saturated photographs.

10. 
    LindaonWhidbey 12/02/2015

    Love your photos, Diane. My Oak Leaf H. , Ruby Slippers, is in it's infancy so yours makes me anxious for it to grow up. Apparently, they don't do as well in the PNW as other hydrangeas so I may never see that but I love it's shape and flower so I'm willing to try.

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/03/2015

   Linda, I must admit, I saw dramatic growth results when I used the plant stakes from Miracle Grow. Normally I use organic fertilizers and go to the trouble of scratching the powders into the top layer, but one February when I was lazy, I pounded in those stakes, and WOW!
   I lived in the PNW in the early 70's, and found the climate very similar to central VA. I am not a blue juice salesperson, yet their stakes (tree, shrub, evergreen and deciduous) make a huge difference in my gardens. You may want to try some, just keep stakes at least three feet away from trunks...and I never use more than 1X per season.
   FYI, I am recently experimenting with Jobs Organics and am encouraging my home center to carry more of their products. I want to see if Biozome makes a similar difference. Happy Holidays!

1. 
   LindaonWhidbey 12/03/2015

   Thanks, Diane. Miracle Grow is something that we frequently use but in the spray form. If that quercifolia doesn't take off next summer, I'll give the stakes a try. Do you have hot summers where you are? Ours was probably hotter than usual this last summer ( wasn't everyone's ?) but generally we don't get much above 75.

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/03/2015

   Summers here are often in the 90's and humid. We do have a long cool spell from November on and some good freezes in January, and occasional snow...central VA zone 6. I always apply the stakes in February...Good luck!

11. 
    Cenepk10 12/02/2015

    Beautiful

12. 
    cynthiamccain 12/02/2015

    You said it first, Tim--"luscious" was the word that immediately came to mind when I saw your photos, Diane! I think this has been one of the most beautiful autumns in recent memory, at least here in Maryland. Thank you for the visual lift!

1. 
   diane_lasauce 12/03/2015

   Thank you Cynthia for your kind comments.
   As we gardeners tiptoe into our dormant season, may we rest, rejuvenate, and renew for the coming season.
   I am currently converting my five raised beds from veggies to heirloom daffodils, so hold tight for more garden photos here next spring. Diane