Mid-November: Winding Down

In early November, most deciduous shrubs began to drop their leaves. Just about the last to quit, Rosa pimpinellifolia was still creating a pretty mosaic of leaves and shrivelling rosehips.

A favourite annual of mine, Nicotiana langsdorffii,  sown so late that it is only now putting on a show of little lime-green trumpets on tall thin stems, has so far remained impervious to the chilly nights. Nevertheless, it looks a little out of place among all the warm colours of fall.

On the fence beyond, the leaves of a young Parthenocissus henryana are turning red and complementing the aging bracts on Hydrangea 'Kiyosumi' nearby.

 Most of the Hosta have collapsed into slimy yellowish-grey heaps, but a few are dying a little more elegantly in shades of mustard yellow.

Salix nakamura var. yezoalpina has also gone to mustard tones, and is beginning to reveal its snaking branches that contribute some structure to that area in winter.

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' nearby has a few yellow echoes in its leaves and a rather violent contrast in its flowers that are aging from rusty red to an intense magenta.

Around the middle of the month, heavy rain and one very stormy, windy day put paid to the autumn show. From now on, there will be just a few bright patches to carry through to the end of the year: skimmias and heuchera ...

... and Euphorbia 'Glacier Blue', which remains unfazed by rain, wind and frost.