Mostly Photos

Autumn’s Last Gasp /  by Todd Henson

The last fall color of Blandy

Today we take a look at what may be autumn’s last gasp at Blandy Experimental Farm, the State Arboretum of Virginia. We’d finished hiking and decided to drive around other parts of the arboretum when we saw some bright colorful foliage right along a parking area. So we got out and walked about, marveling at the bright shades of yellow, orange, and red mixed in with vibrant greens. Such a beautiful final display, located right along what the signs indicated was an oak grove and very near the bamboo grove, with a trail weaving from the bamboo grove out behind the other trees, color all along the way.

Follow the yellow leaved road

Walk with me

Paths of color

The final leaves have yet to fall

The warmth of autumn

Autumn is a beautiful time of year and I’d love to return to Blandy in the future to see what else it has to offer.

These photos were created on November 20th, 2021.

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A Canvas of Fallen Leaves /  by Todd Henson

A canvas of fallen leaves

The ground below us can sometimes be a wonderful canvas on which nature creates its paintings. These four examples were all created the same day at Blandy Experimental Farm, the State Arboretum of Virginia. What we have here (clockwise from upper left) are photographs of what we found below a group of maple, fir, beech (?) and cypress trees on November 20th of 2021.

A canvas of fallen maple leaves

A canvas of fallen fir leaves

A canvas of fallen beech (?) leaves. Anyone know if these really are beech?

A canvas of fallen cypress leaves

I’m not certain whether what I’ve listed as beech leaves are, in fact, beech. Does anyone know?

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Maple Leaves in Autumn: Two Perspectives /  by Todd Henson

A maple canopy in orange

On a trip to Blandy Experimental Farm, the State Arboretum of Virginia, in the second half of November we found most leaves had already fallen from the trees. Not unexpected. However, we also found a few stragglers, maple trees hanging onto their leaves and showcasing some bright colors. Additionally, we got to see how beautiful the ground can be when most leaves have fallen, creating a carpet of colored leaves that create that distinctive crunch as you walk over them.

A carpet of colored maple leaves

I hope you enjoy this short look at two perspectives of the maple trees at Blandy.

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