I'm a definite Bradford hater -- if I want to insult something that only has the thinnest shell of superficial appeal but is really very poor I'll often refer to it is as the Bradford pear of sweet potatoes/cars/paintings/etc. -- but even as a Bradford hater, I've frequently noticed the attractive deep red fall color of the invasive callery seedlings in my pasture. There's a photo in the link below (an old thread on this forum) that's very similar, although I don't have quite so many as in the photo. I haven't noticed very nice color on the full grown intentionally planted trees, but maybe it's the same and I just haven't noticed. I'll say the color in the photo above taken in the parking lot looks like the color is tending toward a duller brownish red. That tree/photo doesn't do much for me. It does more for me than the flowers in the spring, though. I think a flowering wild plum or peach or even some wild cherries are much prettier than Bradford pears. I even prefer the gentler beauty of a flowering red maple. One thing I like about callery pears, though, is what handy rootstocks they make for eating pears. If I ever want another pear tree I rarely have to dig any holes or plant or water anything, because callery pears are invasive enough that I can mostly just find a volunteer to let size up for a year and then graft onto (if not one to graft right away.) Here is a link that might be useful: thread with photo of callery seedlings in pasture

However, Christmas Cheer (or Ima-shojo) wouldn't do as well in Ohio as Karens. Karens is hardy to -25F and Christmas Cheer is hardy to 0F. BIG difference. As far as I know, Karens is the only registered evergreen azalea hardy to -25F. Some hardy to -20F include: Bixby, Helen Curtis, Hino-red, Hino-white, and Marie's Choice. But, none of these have the nice winter foliage color like Karens. Probably the next hardiest to Karens is Stewartstonian which is a red azalea with great wine-red winter foliage and hardy to -15F.

Thank you all for the kind comments :) This camera is certainly going to open up a whole new world for me come spring when everything wakes back up and I can document a full season's growth. @McTavish - Your photo documentaries are what I hope to achieve in the years to come. It is so nice to be able to see the hostas as each year passes. Certainly takes some diligence to keep up with all the documentation, let alone the uploading of pics, labeling, organizing and such. I figure if I take a plethora of pics all throughout the growing season I can spend the cold winter months warm inside organizing all the photos and reminding myself of the beauty to come when spring emerges, right ? @Phil � I remember from earlier in the year you had posted stating that we were in the same zone. I live 13 miles north of Philadelphia proper, technically zone 6b by USDA. It seems we were 6a a couple of years ago but the zones got changed ? I haven�t put that much research into the matter so I am unable to confirm anything. But I do know that we either get winter real early and it gets cold overnight . . . or we have fall like we are this year and the temps gradually decrease. But like I said, it is 10/22/2012 and it is only getting down to 48 degrees tonight. I checked weather.com for the monthly average and it doesn't have us getting a good consistent freeze until early November. I still have daffodil and hyacinthoides bulbs to plant but I want to wait until a day or two after the first frost. It is nice though when you have a slow cooling. The trees don't drop overnight and you can watch everything slowly color up. We are having some marvelous maple displays this year. The bright reds and yellows on decades-old trees will always captivate no matter how much you've seen them. :) So sad to think about not having anything to play with outside here come a month. Makes me look forward to the alphabet even more (especially since I can contribute). Thanks again :) Ludi

Ron, loving that blood grass too. I've read that blood grass can be invasive in some locations but for me it hasn't spread much at all and has been a wonderful companion plant for the many years I've had it. The green ground cover is Iberis sempervirens (Candy Tuft). It stays ever green and has dense white flowers. That reminds me, I need to plant more.