Watching fall unfold here in suburban Chicago has been an odd event this year. There have been spectacular tree colors, but it’s been happening over the course of about 6 weeks instead of one glorious event. So instead of enjoying a panorama of color like in Wisconsin and Michigan, I’ve been admiring individual trees for weeks.
Even at this late November date, there are trees that are still showing green or color dappled leaves, right next to a tree that has already dropped all its leaves.
Now if it was just a particular type of tree, like an oak, that’d be understandable since they always hold their brown leaves well into winter (and sometimes spring). But it’s random maples, viburnums, burning bushes and others.
I’ve never seen this serviceberry have so much fruit!
The Purple Pearls Beautyberry Bushes (Callicarpa x NCCX1), after a very slow start had a great fall display of purple berries to liven up the yard. (Beautyberry Bushes, Did They Survive the Winter?)
Some flowers and vegetables haven’t minded the mild fall.
And then, even with leaves in the trees the week of thanksgiving the snow has arrived! Lots of heavy, wet snow. The kind that looks really pretty, but is tough on the trees and shrubs. And the back!
The Common Witch hazel was blooming prolifically this fall after having some changes to the surrounding bushes giving it more space and sun.
How was your fall?
Your area is just gorgeous. We’ve had a slowly revealed fall, not as showy as some years, but it has lasted a long time.
Thanks, Susie–It was fun to see fall in so many different places in the Midwest. Here at home it was “slowly revealing” as you put it. Pretty in its own way.
Wow, can’t believe your tomatoes kept going so late in the year. Mine sure didn’t.