The Cotoneaster leaves offered a wide palette of colours while the Nandina offered its scarlet intensity. The past autumn with its crisp nights, clear sunny and calm days meant a more striking autumn season here in the garden.
Autumn is evident even though rainfall is still low here and temperatures mild. Many of the deciduous trees in the garden have been dropping their leaves for weeks now due to the drought.
If we get some chilly nights some the trees might colour up more but many have leaves that look crispy dry with only some discolouration.
The Smoke Bush (Cotinus Coggygria) is showing its usual beauty, apparently unaffected by the lack of rain.
And the Cotoneaster is covered in rich red berries.
Last week the blackbirds were feasting on these but after some millimetres of rain the birds are back hunting worms instead.
I went about my garden yesterday and took some photos. What became obvious to me was that some plants were not yet going into late autumn mode thanks to the warm, dry weather we have been experiencing for a few weeks now.
I could only find one rose-hip where normally there are many by now and a small patio rose has put on new leaf and lo and behold has new flower buds.
But the Smoke bush is in full autumn colour from yellow, to orange, to red, to deep crimson and its leaves are falling in the breezy conditions this week.
And the Cotoneaster has its berries swelling and deepening into bright red. They are not ripe enough yet for the birds but I am watching for the feast to begin.
Many of the deciduous trees look dry-leaved but are not turning their vibrant colours because our nights have not been cold and crisp yet.
And just to confuse things a little further the small kowhai bushes are busy flowering.
ordinarygoodness 