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It was a cool and cloudy day at the Arboretum. I found an interesting Echinops ritro (Globe Thistle) seed head in the bed by the Scherer Pavillion and a beautiful Euonymus fortunei cv. Variegatus (Wintercreeper Euonymus) climbing up a tree across from the Waterwise Deck; an opened fruit, nestled among the crisp green and white leaves.

A young Beech (Fagus spp) sits under larger trees next to the bus parking area, while stubbornly holding on to its browned leaves. This is a phenomenon known as marcescence, and can be seen in other trees as well, such as Oaks and Hornbeams. The thinking is that retaining leaves until spring could be a means of slowing the decomposition of the leaves (they would rot faster if on the ground) and that dropping them in spring delivers organic material at a time when it is most needed by the growing tree. Isn’t Mother Nature wonderful?

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

An amazingly mild, sunny day in the low 50’s. A large clump of sweet-smelling yellow flowers (probably a Chrysanthemum variety) is still blooming in the perennial gardens and the bees are swarming over this last source of nectar for the season. The Hamamelis vernalis next to the Waterwise Deck is decked out in delicate, strappy yellow flowers and a PJM Rhododendron, also by the Waterwise Deck, is covered in deep red leaves.

Enjoy a visit soon.

The nice warm weather we’ve been enjoying has given way to colder, more seasonal weather with the possibility of a snow shower overnight. In spite of the forecast, color is still to be found on the grounds at the Arboretum. A pretty, red, heart-shaped leaf of Disanthus cercidifolius clinging to the shrub which is in the Witch Hazel family. The vibrant orange leaves of Hamamelis vernalis ‘Red Imp’ (a vernal Witch Hazel cultivar) providing a spot of color next to the Haggerty Education Center.

The fall and winter months are a great time to see different colors, textures, forms, shapes and sizes, as in the combination of a tall green female Juniperus virginiana cv. Corcorcor (Emerald Sentinel Juniper), a shorter Picea pungens cv. Splitrock (Colorado Spruce cultivar) on the right and the softly spreading leaves of a Panicum virgatum cv. Prairie Skies (Switch Grass) in front of both.

Frequent contributor, Steve Kanan, sent these beautiful pictures of Fall’s final fling.

Thanks as always for another beautiful view of the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.

Fall at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum is beautiful; the trees and shrubs have donned their autumnal colors but with the warm weather we’ve been enjoying, there are still some gorgeous flowers to be found. A yellow, sweetly-scented Rosa ‘The Poet’s Wife’ is blooming in the rose garden and an Aconitum (Monkshood or Wolf’s Bane) is blooming in the Eger Fern Garden. The Gazebo next to the Knot Garden sits amid a host of yellow foliage and fallen leaves. Enjoy a visit soon!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

A quiet, overcast day at the Arboretum; the fall foliage still clinging to trees and shrubs is creating beautiful vignettes on the grounds: a long-shot of the misty meadow behind the Mansion, a Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair Tree) in all its yellow glory and a Cornus spp (Dogwood) in full fall red, as well as a columnar Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Silhouette’ (Columnar Sweetgum ‘Silhouette’) framed by a Sugar Maple on the left and a Norway Maple on the right. Sadly, these gorgeous colors won’t last, so make plans to visit soon.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.