My plants have just about passed on for the season. The last of the leaves are strew across the lawn with only a couple still hanging on. I rarely feel sad about this as I cherish the fertile darkness that is the back drop to the holiday season. But it is nice to see these late autumn Austrian garden shots from Elfriede’s garden in Buchbach, Austria. I feel like it extends the season just enough.
Am I the only one who sees a picture like this as a quiz? How many plants can I (you) name?
Full of color and texture, this Austrian garden is a chock full of interesting and special plants that really come into their prime in the prewinter months.
This is a French maple – Acer monspessulanum – which is a pretty special tree. It’s isn’t common. If you are looking for the mark of a gardener who knows a thing or two, look for someone with unique and lesser known varieties of trees and shrubs.
As maples go, this one is interesting in that it is not from Japan; rather, it is from the Mediterranean. It has small leaves and a shrubby habit that makes it popular with bonsai enthusiasts. It is also interesting because its leaves don’t fall until really late. I’ve been noticing in my own garden that the leaf drop of my maples varies significantly. We spend so much time staging out things like bulbs to have a nice succession, but I’ve never heard of anyone planning their maple or overall leaf fall. I think that would be an interesting effort, but it would take a lot of study as I’ve never seen this referenced in books, have you?
Elfriede opens her Austrian garden every year for visitors and she has promised to put the details of the dates on her website. So you know – if you happen to be in Austria – you can make a visit.
Images Elfriede @ My Green Passion