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marian_2

Autumn in the Ozarks #2

Marian_2
15 years ago

The first thread is getting too many pics, so I have decided to start another. I hope to make it worthwhile. :-)

Here is the Ginkgo at 8:30 this morning;

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And at 12:30;

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How about a gorgeous blue sky???

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Comments (22)

  • dodgerdudette
    15 years ago

    Marian, that blue sky looks mighty 'out west' ! One of the streets near me has Gingkos as the street trees, they are just starting to turn. There are always a couple of them that are two or three weeks behind the others. I've never noticed wheter there is a big drop similar to yours..

    Kathy in Napa

  • Marian_2
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Here is another pic that I took this morning. It is a witch hazel seeding that I planted in the old chicken yard.

    {{gwi:182851}}

    I think I will take advantage of it's tendency to spread seedlings, and put them in more places where I want fall color.

  • Marian_2
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    The Ginkgo saga ... 6:30 this eve:

    {{gwi:182852}}

    The Red Oak out by the little red barn:

    {{gwi:182853}}

    The 'pink' dogwood between it and a naked Honey Locust. On the left, next to the house, is the 'Stinky' Viburnum. It has not colored up, and may not this year.

  • gardenbug
    15 years ago

    Yes, I remember the ginkgos in Toronto doing their "one day drop" routine each year.

    I also remember the ginkgo's "spring stench" event! Don't recall if it is the male or female tree that does that, but every time I think I've accidentally walked in dog droppings. UGH.

    My witchhazel was inundated by weeds and choked pretty close to death this year. A shame to miss out on the fall bloom! I think it will survive for next year. We'll see.

  • saucydog
    15 years ago

    Thank you, Marian!

    Witch hazel is on my "list" for a good yellow, now.

    Saucy

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    15 years ago

    That witch hazel IS a good yellow! I have a book on my shelf that is about Trees and there is one photo overleaf of a huge mature Ginkgo with a family of four standing under it rakes in hand getting ready to tackle getting a whole yard of leaves that they were ankle deep in. [g] Amazingly large, gorgeous tree. How long have you had yours planted, Marian?

    pm2

  • Marian_2
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Marie, I didn't know the Gingko had a stench in the spring. I understood it is the fruit that is so smelly. I do not know whether mine is male or female. I have never seen a bloom on it. There are no other Gingkos anywhere near us, so if it is a female, is is not likely to set fruit. I'd love to have more of them, but not knowing what gender mine is, I would be hesitant to do so...besides, they are slow growing, and I do not have that much time to wait on more.

    Saucy, my witch hazel is one of the native ones to our area. There are hybrids that may be more colorful than mine, espacially with prettier blooms. Mine's blooms are not too showy, and I frequently don't even notice when they start.It is either late fall or early winter. Mine is H.virginiana, the other is more shrubby and has suckers. It is H.vernalis.
    So...what do you think of the naked Gingko??? LOL

  • Marian_2
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I have had the Gingko for probably at least 15 years...I would have to do a lot of picture searching to know for sure. It was only about 10 inches tall when I planted it....probably a yearling.I sent for it from Vernon Barnes.

    I had a pussy willow growing in that location at first. We removed it due to it's attraction for aphids and wasps. Yikes!

  • woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
    15 years ago

    I love the fall color at your place Marian! I definitely need to add a witch hazel somewhere - but I'm not sure where... In the 2007 local garden tour, one house had the most amazing ginkgo and Dawn Redwoods. Both were huge, with trunks at least 18" in diameter. They had to have been planted shotly after the house was built - the house was a 1960s era bungalow. I can't imagine either were commonly available trees back then and to find both of them in the same yard must mean the original owner was a tree lover! We wondered if the original owner perhaps worked for RBG (Royal Botanical Gardens) or was a member and had access to their plants. Or maybe he or she was a relative of Marian's :- )

  • Marian_2
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    LOL, Woody, " a relative of Marian's". I looked out to see what my Dawn Redwood is doing. The freeze zapped the chance of there being a good coloring this year...I'm afraid. As for the ultimate size....Tim was laughing about that awhile back, and the fact that I planted mine so close to our house! I told him that would be someone else's problem. ;-)
    It is not growing nearly as fast as the books say they do. Most of them say it gains 3' every year. Mine doesn't.

  • Marian_2
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    While I was in Harrison today I went to the Maplewood Cemetary and took a bunch of pics. Here are some of the best:

    {{gwi:182854}}

    {{gwi:182855}}

    {{gwi:182856}}

    {{gwi:182861}}

    {{gwi:182863}}

    {{gwi:182865}}

    {{gwi:182866}}

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    The color elsewhere is very sparse. Very disappointing!I may manage to find a little more on our place, before it is all gone.

  • dodgerdudette
    15 years ago

    Oh my goodness Marian! How lovely these are ! Cemeterys can be so beautiful, out oldest cemetary here has both beautiful trees and hundreds of rose bushes. Many folks walk their dogs there. I should take some photos sometime.

    Kathy in Napa

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    15 years ago

    Really living up to it's name...Maplewood! lol I love to see an area that is fully colored up like that. Unusual here because of so many different trees planted together for the most part. Nice photos!

    pm2

  • ctlavluvr
    15 years ago

    First chance to get here and what a beautiful way to start a Friday!

    In order to get your great shaped Witch Hazel, does one need chickens first?? LOL

    Great pics, and a peaceful place, Marian.

    Martie

  • deanneart
    15 years ago

    Great photographs of fall color Marian. That Ginko is a hoot with dropping all its leaves in one day. The maples in the cemetary are gorgeous.

    Deanne

  • Marian_2
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks gals. There is not much that I enjoy more than taking pics to share.
    Teehee, Martie...maybe it was due to the chickens, although they have been gone for years.

    I wandered around some more this morning before the clouds and distant thunder rolled in. Took a bunch of pics, but haven't down-loaded them yet. Now I am thinking the last flush of color may be pretty good. It always does that to me, LOL. The browned frozen leaves are falling, and the remaining are coloring up. Can you see...this is one of my favorite times of the year? I can roam the woods and not be attacked by chiggers, ticks, or biting flies, and the snakes are not a problem on chilly days.:-)

  • woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
    15 years ago

    Marian - when you post the beautiful pictures, I think it would be a nice place to live; when you list the pests (snakes!) I don't want to go anywhere near your place! :- )

  • Marian_2
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Sorry, Woody. Are there no snakes in the area that you live? People come from all over to walk the nature trails here, and have no problems with the snakes...probably hardly ever even see any.
    When I am out, whether in my yard or in the woods, I ususlly don't even think about them, and very seldom see one, unless it is a non venomous one. I am actually too careless with where I put my hands sometimes, but have never had a problem. I could probably count on one hand how many snake bites that have occured within miles of us in the 31 years we have lived here.

  • woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
    15 years ago

    Ah - but I vividly remember you telling up about killing copperheads in your frontyard a year or two ago by whacking them with a hoe...!

    I'm sure there are snakes around here if you go to parks or conservation areas. But here in suburbia I've never even seen a grass snake or a garter snake! Rattlesnake Point conservation area is not too far away so there are Mississauga rattlers around there I assume.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Rattlesnake Point

  • chelone
    15 years ago

    A pre-dawn foliage tour of Marian's Ozarks has been a most pleasant way to start my Saturday. It's beautiful!

    There are two Ginkos in the park I pass daily on my way to and from work. One is a female and last year I collected some of the fruit to get a whiff of it. It smelled vaguely of vomit, as I recall, but wasn't overpowering. Anyway, they are still sporting their yellow finery but should do the "drop" thing in a week/two. I CAN tell you, however, that because of the fruit fewer and fewer female trees are being planted and that trend is now causing alarm with respect to the loss of genetic diversity within the species. Interesting how "housekeeping" can affect a tree as ancient as a Ginko, huh?

    Snakes don't bother me too much, either, Marian. I do the "squeal and dance" if I'm startled by one, but invariably have to have a looky-see and will quite often pick it up to have a closer look and remind myself that they really are pretty harmless. Although the Timber Rattler CAN range into this area the odds of encountering one are pretty meagre. The way I see it, they're here for a reason, too, and there's plenty of room for both of us on the Compound. Live and let live is our motto.

    Thanks again for the lovely tour, what a treat. :)

  • Marian_2
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I am happy that you all enjoyed my Maplewood pics. I was so disappointed by the colors around the countryside, I wanted to do something to perk up this thread. :-)

    Chelone, I'm sure you know....I pick up harmless snakes too. I agree...thay have purpose here. They eliminate lots of rodents, for one thing.
    I makes me smile when I see the harmless species. I don't even do the "squeal and dance" when I see a poisonous one, but I do holler for help if I am in a situation where I can not dispatch it myself.

  • Marian_2
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Meanwhile...back on the 'farm', things are getting prettier:
    Here is the Red Oak by the woodshed:
    This is the prettiest part of it.

    {{gwi:182868}}

    All three oaks bordering the back yard, with the dogwood in the foreground. The yellow oak in the middle is a Shumard oak. It is always the last to turn it's best color. The other two are Red Oaks.

    {{gwi:182870}}

    Walking a little farther back, the Euonymous alata and Berberis thunbergii "Atropurpurea":

    {{gwi:182872}}

    Next..looking toward the house from out towards the driveway:

    {{gwi:182873}}

    And last...the Dawn Redwood with the pine tree back ground:

    {{gwi:182874}}

    When you all get tired of this...holler "uncle" LOL.