A New England October

Proceeding from north to south, the first frosts 

       

 

 

 

New England is famous for its fall colors. Under some circumstances, though, those colors include brilliant flowers. On a family vacation, I was in the southern part of the region at the beginning of the transition. Garden flowers, including brilliant displays of Dahlias, Chrysanthemums, and others were in their final glory of the season, but a mild frost had already triggered some trees to retire their chlorophyll for the winter, leaving their red and yellow secondary pigments. In the middle of our week there, a harder freeze in the Berkshires convinced most garden flowers to give up the ghost, but a bit further south, in the Hartford area, they persisted. 

I suppose at this time, it was already over in the far north of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, but it  wouldn't be long before the glow of orange and red would sweep through the south, gardeners would dig up the Dahlia tubers, and perhaps plant a new crop of tulip and other spring bulbs.

There are a few late season wild flowers too. Goldenrod and Asters, both members of the Asteraceae are the most abundant Fall wildflowers. In this family, seeds mature rapidly, and so the plants can remain active late in the season.

Below are some scenes from this sojourn.

The New England Aster, 
Symphotrichium novae-angliae.

The common Goldenrod, Artemesia 
nemoralis.

Dahlias were at their peak at the Elizabeth Park
in West Hartford.

 

Chrysanthemums are an emblematic garden
flower in the Fall.

Bright Celosias are in denial about the coming
winter.

Roses will continue to bloom until forced to 
stop by cold weather.

Nasturtiums are trailing annuals, and
going strong in mid-October.

Known as Autumn Crocus, these
Colchicum autumnalis blossoms surprise
us with spring-like blooms.

A tall Cleome plant in West Hartford.

Clematis terniflora covers a wall in Lenox, Mass.

Zinnias are 3-4 feet tall in October.

Starship deep rose Lobelia.

Monkshood, Aconitum, flourishes in
the Fall.