PUSHING THE BORDERS

I've been quiet for some time now. That is due to problems with my health, as well as an ongoing family crisis in New York as well. Needless to say, my focus hasn't been on gardening over the past year. I'm doing better now thankfully (asthma is the main problem), and I couldn't help but enjoy a stroll through the garden this morning with all the fall colors.

This maple is a purple leaf form at its fall best (notice the Spanish moss sprig that fell from above):


Dendrobium moniliforme is deciduous, and puts on a little show of its own:


The native rabbit's foot fern, Davallia mariesii, is also deciduous:


Finally, Arisaema ringens sets seed somewhere in the garden every fall. Volunteers pop up everywhere:


I hope I can do more gardening this coming year, but for now winter comes!

Sorry to read you have been unwell Tom, hope it gets resolved as well as it can be.

It is the worst bit about getting old, isn't it - the rapidly expanding portfolio of 'stuff' that has quietly morphed from the 'odd niggle' to actually getting in the way of what you want to do. I was all set to be a part of an adventure in Chile this coming spring but have had to step down for various reasons. Boo. :x

Thanks for the kind words Paul. "Fortunately" my problems stem from an underlying issue I've had my whole life - asthma. Up to this point (I'm 62) I've kept it at bay with overall good living, but starting this summer it finally came on spectacularly. Then I had to make a 5 week emergency trip to NY in August/September which sent me over the edge. To add to the misery I got a nasty bout with C19 while there. On the positive side, all tests have come up clean in terms of my overall health, in fact I'm much healthier and fit than most at my age. Knock on wood.

Here's Chloranthus glabra, the yellow berried form, with a maple in the background. Winter is about to hit us over the head.

Good news on the health Tom. I have you beat by a half decade or so. I'm not playing basketball or hiking hills like I used to.
In my garden the cooler,wetter weather has made some plants greener and perkier. Others like Firesticks get redder this time of year. At 10' the tallest looks like a red pine tree. In time for the holidays. I also spotted one of the Aloe's sending up a bloom spike. Early for that.

Stan, yes I am lucky to have dodged any serious bullets so far. Who knew getting long in the tooth was going to be such fun? We had a crazy hot summer (record breaking August-September), and a warm fall. Only recently have temperatures gone down to the 30 year average. Yesterday there was a significant snow in the local mountains, a common event just around Christmas time.

Here's one of the first Camellia sasanqua to flower in my garden. Like most things this fall, they are about 2-3 weeks late.

Just got back from New York. My wife took this picture of the C. sasanqua during my absence.

A bit of a change this morning. Went down to around -2 C last night with snow accumulation. First of the winter to stick.

Ficus superba and Cycas revoluta:


Platycerium bifurcatum:


Bilbergia nutans:


Tillandsia bergeri:


Camellia sasanqua: