Two of my 5 crepe myrtles are really a brillant orange/red - one of 3 Bradford Pears is turning and my native dogwoods are turning a deep burgundy - poison ivy and virginia creeper are turing red and the Sumac has tinges of brillant red - the color is starting to creep in.

Yes my crepe myrtles are gorgeous now and my dogwoods also. Today I noticed a small salvia in a newly planted bed turning a really deep purple color. I am excited to see it in a couple of years when it grows to its mature size. I think it will really be stunning in the fall. Adele

A little dogwood rescued from the woods is bright red while the ones left in the woods are mahogany. Next to it is a small Mockernut Hickory in bright yellow and a non-thread leaf green Japanese maple in bright red - full sun - across from her sister in part-shade that is just now turning yellow-orange. Makes my eyes jump from the arresting color combinations.

The "Fire Twig" dogwood has yellow leaves with orange and red stems glowing next to the beauty berry with her iridescent amethyst berries - really gaudy combo that I love.

The fothergilla's are glowing behind a viburnum making rusty orange leaves and golden berries, below which is a huge cotoneaster with this year's crop of red berries.

Since we took out all the pines in the woods this summer, all you can see are the wonderful hardwoods' colors. Smashing view!

What I don't like are the iris's yellowing tips. A sure sign that winter is nigh. Sigh.

Nancy the nancedar

It's Gee-Orgeous here, when I have time to look up from raking and watering.

Yes, here too. When I go outside everything is all aglow...sort of magical. It lasts for such a short time, we should spend every breathing moment outside. Picnic, anyone?

Just wanted to add that the golden color and form of amsonia is amazing! I have 5 of them under an orange-leaved crepe myrtle and alongside a beautyberry.

I've got a Va. sweetspire that's turning amazing colors this fall -- if anybody wants some of it I can take cuttings of it next spring.

amsonia..just looked it up. What a nice plant! I need to get me one......What's the common name, Blue Star?
Thanks
Carolyne

Most people call it "amsonia" as far as I know, but it does make pale blue star flowers in the spring. I'm pretty sure what I have is the hubrichtii...or bluestar.

This is an excellent picture of the difference between spring and fall. They are great en masse (I got mine free or I'd probably only have one):

Here is a link that might be useful: Amsonia hubrichtii 'blue star'

On my big drive west through mountains earlier this month the mountains were in the best color I've ever seen. Breathtaking. I have tried and tried in the past to be there at the right time and this year I just happened upon it! I took pictures but most were at rest stops whereas the better views were along the highway where there were no places to pull over. Maggie Valley viewed from I-40 was just like a postcard.

So TJ, are you going to post the pictures so we can all ooh and ahh?

Lucky you.

Nancy the nancedar

The website I use to host my photos only displays tiny little postage stamp versions of them when I link to them or embed them into a post. So I will have to send them to someone that doesn't have this problem (which appears to be everyone else on this forum that posts pictures). I've opened two accounts on two different sites and they both do this - it doesn't seem to matter what size the photos are when I add them to my album. If I link to them using the url address the transmitted image is always tiny. The last thing I want is another web address and pass word to memorize.

One thing you gotta love about North Carolina, there's still some fall color around even though it's almost December. Here there's Washington hawthorn and titi, a combination of yellow, orange and red (the hawthorn will probably end up totally red) and several blueberry bushes that are a lovely pure red. I noticed along the highways a lot of the oaks turning late, especially the scarlets.

You are so right, Alicia, our sassafras and fringe trees are just going gold and orange now.

You girls are reading my mind. My two large Bradford Pears think it's autumn..they are all aglow with orange, red and gold.

These trees are so maligned lately b/c of the ice damage they often suffer. (not mine, I've been lucky). They are some of the hardest working trees I know, early to bloom and late with color!

my bloodgood maple is glow in the dark orange and red right now. in the rain the other day it looked as if it were lit from within. i also noticed that my seckle pear has beautiful color right now. the maples in he back yard have been beaming yellow for days. i was thinking it's a shame it's past time to use fallish colors for decorations, since it seems to be ramping up. maybe i'll have a fall colored christmas! :)