November’s Gloom Has Its Bright Spots

The weather people are starting to make breathless prognostications about sleet and snow flurries—Novemberish weather, in other words—however, the sun came out for a little while shortly after lunch today, so I zoomed outside to capture some more color.

The serviceberry is completely red, a beautiful warm red in the sun, and a rather chilly red in the deep overcast that is November. Its leaves are starting to fall, making a very nice tableau underneath.

Photo of serviceberry multiple-stem trunks, groundcover plants, and a smattering of brightly colored fallen serviceberry leaves.
The serviceberry’s understory. From front to back: pussytoes, Solomon’s seal ‘Heronswood,’ and wild ginger. Photographed on November 9, 2017.

Most of the leaves are freshly fallen from the serviceberry, with a few from American elm and silver maple.  A cold front is blowing in.

Photo of daylily leaves with fll leaves and larkspr seedling.
A tumble of grape hyacinth and daylily leaves, the second generation of this year, overarched by an iris leaf, with fallen silver maple and serviceberry leaves. A larkspur seedling has strayed into the daylilies, lower righthand corner. Photographed on November 9, 2017.

The sun has disappeared behind a thick deck of November clouds. The gardening season is coming to a close.