This picture of my Liquidambar was taken using my iPhone camera after rain - not a bad shot, really...
This year the grey November is lit up by three of my favourite plants, all coinciding in time thanks to the mixed-up weather we have these days.
Don’t ask me to say what kind of a summer it was in 2011 – I have memories of a few hot, sunny days, a lot of cold, wet days, long dry spells, long damp spells. Who knows?
As the Liquidambar started to turn colour this year, it had far more gold than red...
A professional gardener friend reckons autumn is late this year. Certainly it is not as colourful as some I have seen. The benchmark for me is always my Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum). In a good year it has a range of lovely leaves, from gold through all shades of red to purple. But this year there has been more yellow than anything else at eye level. Admittedly the top still has a touch of maroon.
Autumn sweetgum leaves vary from gold to purple...
I have written much about this tree in previous years – see these links to Liquidambar Styraciflua – red queen of the fall (2009) and Grabbing autumn by the tail (2010).
This red admiral was on the Mahonia a few days ago, but I have seen these butterflies as late as Christmas day...
The second treasure this November is my favourite shrub – Mahonia media “Charity”. It is slightly earlier-flowering than my other Mahonias, but is supposed to be at its golden peak in December and January. It’s a little ahead of itself this year and the insects love it, as shown by these pictures.
My Mahonia a few days ago - you may just be able to spot the bee mid-right of this picture, taken from a distance through my window...
Again, I have written much before about this plant – in fact my first ever blog post was Mahonia named ‘Charity’ just keeps on giving…
I also looked at my Mahonias after last December’s very bad freeze – The golden bells of January…
My third treasure is the magnificent Schlumbergera russelliana on my window ledge. It’s commonly called a Christmas cactus but it is usually all over by mid December. Great for brightening November days, though.
Schlumbergera on the window-ledge, November 2011
Here are links to my blog posts about the Schlumbergera (and my Hatiora) – A Christmas cactus is for life (2009) and My Christmas cactus – one year on (2010).
The flowers of Schlumbergera have an exotic shape...
Pink Schlumbergera certainly brightens up the dark days of November...
The Squirrelbasket 
Pat..another awesome post..thank you for sharing your walk through the garden..Autumn and Spring are my favorite seasons of the year..the beginning and the end..you always manage to capture the true essence of the garden and your words produce mental pictures. I am not able to walk in my gardens/woods these days, but I have “chutzpah” and a belief that one day I will again. I enjoy your posts, they are such pick-me ups..weedbychoice..kjforce
Thank you for your lovely kind words. I agree about spring and autumn – my favourites, too. I find summer too overblown and too bright…
Sorry you aren’t getting around much these days – but I have to admit I don’t go far myself, and some of my pictures are just taken through the window! Best wishes 🙂
Delightful pictures. The colours are amazing. I agree with your comment on ths Christmas Cacti that it flowers in November. I have two,one flowering now and one that will bloom a little later on.
I wonder what the difference is, that makes one bloom later than the other?
I am looking at my pink Schlumbergera as I write now and it is SO bright it nearly shines in the dark 🙂
You do such a nice job on photo… wonderful.
Thank you for all your kind words – I read all your poems and especially like them when they are illustrated with pictures, too 🙂
Beautiful leaves and flowers. NYC also seems very much in a golden/yellow year, as far as leaf color goes, although there, of course glorious flaming exceptions. Your Christmas cactus is stunning, and I love the first iPhone photo.
Thanks for the kind comments. It’s a bit hit or miss with my iPhone pictures but it means I am never without a camera!
Best wishes 🙂
I love the Liquidambar pictures! They look so beautiful! I like it when they change their color according to the season. 🙂 Its like a “mood plant.” Great photo skills as well. It doesn’t matter if it was just taken on an Iphone, what matters is the effect that you captured. 🙂