the problem with fall leaves

Just a few days ago I was bemoaning the lack of fall leaves in my garden. I missed the dramatic statement of the changing of the seasons. Like spring-blooming fruit trees, there is not much that is more visually impressive than colorful fall leaves to ring in the season. Fall leaves are the season's last hurrah before the onset of the quiet of winter. These colorful leaves set the heart a-leaping.

The problem with fall leaves, is the same problem as spring flowers: they don't last very long. A week, maybe two is all you'll get for all the drama. While this is as much as you could ever ask for in a bouquet of roses, or even a pot of amaryllis, it seems all too soon that it is over.

Here's my neighbor's ash tree, with my 'Wichita Blue' juniper in front, as I posted it October 3rd:


Here it is today, soon to be ready for the bleak days of winter:

The impressive but brief show of the fall leaves is in contrast to the flowers of long-blooming plants. Agastache 'Ava' has been blooming since August (with some color showing in late July). Here it is today:

Not bad for three months of color, eh? Agastache 'Firebird' has been blooming since early July and is just fading out. Chocolate flower has been blooming since May, and is still blooming. I wonder: do we just take these long-blooming plants for granted?

It's too bad the fall leaves don't last longer, isn't it? Which had me thinking: there are plants whose fall foliage last a long time. In fact, there are a few plants whose cold weather color lasts as long as the weather stays cold. I've even blogged about some of them previously (in February).

Eriogonum umbellatum. Duh. How quickly we forget. It's even a native plant.

Opuntia 'Santa Rita' is so obvious.
Then there are non-native plants such as Nandina domestica (Heavenly bamboo). There are some cultivars that just glow throughout the winter. One of these is 'Firepower' (do a google search) named such for the brilliant color the leaves take on in the winter. Other nandinas can turn blazing colors as well, such as this one in another neighbor's yard (is it 'Gulf Stream'?).

Here is everyday Oregon grape holly (Mahonia aquifolium), looking not-so-everyday in the winter.

This is the glowing color that my neighbor's boxwood takes on with frosty weather. It turns back to the nondescript green that we all know, once spring arrives.
For some gardens, this winter-long fall color may be even more exciting than true fall color. Just something to keep in mind.