To keep memories of the Chinese Tallow Trees at Ukigumo-ennchi

This place is Ukigumo-ennchi Park in Nara Park.

Ukigumo literally means "floating clouds."

At this place, I have admired the flamboyant autumn shows of Chinese Tallows

which are planted as ornamental roadside or park trees for long.

Unfortunately, the trees' invasiveness has put the evergreen broad-leaf forest 

of Mt. Kasuga (World Heritage) in danger according to the Mt. Kasuga Forest Reserve.

The seeds of them are carried by birds to drop in that nearby primitive forest.

Authorities have a plan to replace them with Cherry and Pine trees eventually.

Now that it's December, all of their leaves fell to the ground.

I will show how the kaleidoscopic color changes of the leaves look

with the photos taken mid-November, 2018 and 2021

They are fabulous in each different light.

November 4th, 2018

November 6th, 2021

The leaves, the heart-shaped with a point, were dancing in the breeze.

November 13th, 2021

About twenty Chinese Tallows were cut down at Ukigumo-enchi this September.

The landscape doesn't look so different so far

but you can see the trees are sparse compared to the photo six years ago.

November 5th, 2015

November 13th, 2021

Autumn has rapidly deepened to bring chilly blast of winter.

I can't believe that these Chinese Tallows will eventually disappear from people's sight.

When I look back in future, would I feel they passed by in the blink of an eye?

Past post; Fabulous autumn coloration of Chinese Tallow Trees (2017)

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Autumn colors of Crape Myrtles

 

Crape Myrtle is one of my favorite trees in all seasons.

I showed how and why I love it in this post Japanese Crape Myrtle,

though only about flowers and barks.

After blooming almost all summer long, it's flamboyant autumn show arrives.

The tree has one of the most colorful autumn leaves.

Leaves in yellow, orangey crimson, and scarlet replace the summer blooms.

This tree can live from 50 to 150 years in general.

I once introduced about 300-year-old aged tree here, 

Summer Explosion of the 300-year-old Crape Myrtle.

The bark of the Crape Myrtle is shiny, silky smooth and thin.

With early summer foliage.

With snow in "The first snowfall of the season".

I took these pictures of autumn foliage under the too bright sun of noon

knowing noon is not an ideal time for photography.

As some of my Friends might have noticed, I've tried capturing 

the sun with starburst effect in recent posts.

It's quite challenging but somehow it's fun.

This place is the nearest park, about five minutes walk, from my home.

There are three Crape Myrtles, five Chinese Tallows, one Liriodendron tulipifera,

some Cherry trees, and others - collection of my favorite trees!

From the left, Liriodendron tulipifera, Crape Myrtle, Chinese Tallow

The right side branches is Cherry Tree

When all my Grands get together, I'm glad to hear their cheerful shouts.

We love this park!

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Familiar garden flowers and roadside grasses of autumn

Colorful autumn foliage would be main attraction of autumn landscape.

Though leaves are changing colors steadily, I'll leave the report of them next time.

This post is about familiar flowers and grasses of autumn

in gardens, fields, or along roadside.

One of the seven grasses/flowers of autumn, "Susuki", or Japanese Pampas Grass, 

 grows almost everywhere in Japan.

Some mountain slopes covered with them are highlights of autumn.

Susuki at Oishi Highlands

Susuki at Mt. Katsuragi

Susuki catch the light and cause shimmering shades of silver, gold or white.

野菊/Nogiku, literally meaning wild Chrysanthemum, is also seen almost everywhere.

Nogiku is wild plants endemic to Japan that resemble Chrysanthemum.

One of the most familiar Nogiku is Aster yomena but it's not easy to tell apart 

from similar species.

Colias erate, or Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, are often seen around them.

There are various many species of yellow Nogiku, too.

In my garden, 秋明菊/shumei-giku, Japanese Anemone, were unfurling themselves 

a month ago.

Japanese name means literally "autumn-bright-Chrysanthemum", 

despite of being Anemone family.

The flowers kept blooming a couple of weeks.

A month ago

Last week

According to the 24 Solar Terms、yesterday was 立冬/Ritto, start of winter, 

when the early signs of winter begin to appear.

It's been so sunny and warm in the daytime while chills of mornings and evenings

have accelerated leaves' turning red.

To become red, leaves need enough sunlight and 8 degrees C at lowest.

These are some of the colored fallen leaves I picked up during a walk.

See you next time!

Linked to Mosaic Monday