I know I’ve already gone on and on about the quality of light this fall – but really, honestly, truly these crispy dew-drop mornings with sloping sunshine are divinely gorgeous! All sorts of lovelies were lit by this morning’s spotlight:

The Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) down by the shore was an effervescent haze of pearly gray-green-blue.

The Seven-son flower (Heptacodium miconioides) are almost prettier just past bloom when the bloom bracts turn a pinky red.

This is my favorite time of year for the Harlequin Glory Bower (Clerodendrum trichotomum). While it’s in bloom the scent is enough to knock me off my feet (or give me at least a little up-the-nose ache) but it’s all worth all kinds of perfume discomfort for the October red gift-wrapped turquoise gem berries.

As long as they’re in residence, I’ll keep taking their picture: This praying mantis must have just had breakfast and was cleaning its paws like a cat…

Mary’s Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) looked like it was singing an aria from center stage. For information about our Memorial/Honorarium tree planting program click here.

And this Trumpet spurflower (Rabdosia longituba) doesn’t need actual dew to look dew-dropped. Plant Delights Nursery describes this as a “woodland member of the salvia family” and it just started blooming for us in the dry shade bed under the Sophora by the Moongate. If Mary’s tree is singing, this is the sheet music!

What’s center stage in your garden?