Ginkgo in fall

It's been a great fall color season, and the ginkgos are currently at their peak.

Ginkgos are ancient conifers with a delightful habit of turning butter yellow in fall, just before all the leaves (in clusters on short shoots) drop, practically in unison.

I remember a great photo/memory image from years ago of our dog romping with my gardening companion in the ginkgo leaves in front of our (first) house in Georgia.

Ginkgos at the South Carolina Botanical Garden

We've had ginkgos ever since.

These two are at the garden where I work.  Fabulous!

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A luminous ginkgo

I posted about this view a few days ago, but I can't help doing so again.

The view from the kitchen caught my attention, looking towards the bedroom window.

The ginkgo under the powerline is glorious today. Totally luminous in the late afternoon light.

This view is through the bedroom window (the details are blown out because of the slow camera exposure).

The view from the outside door tells the story.

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First hard freeze

There was ice on the birdbath this morning, reflecting the first good freeze after several hard frosts. The strong winds yesterday brought down many leaves, but many trees are still lovely. The fothergilla in the back has turned bright orangey-red, quite spectacular.

The ginkgo behind the garden shed lost all of its leaves this morning in one graceful pool - ginkgos make a habit of that.

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