Early to Middle October

Because my favorite colors are pinks, whites, blues and purples, you will not see any yellows or oranges in the flowerbeds of the Flowering Gazebo; these colors are allowed in the left side flowerbeds.

As you look at the Flowering Gazebo flowerbeds you will see, with pre-planning, that it is still possible to keep them in flower and full, even in the later fall weeks. As successful as I can be in providing the right plants to continue bloom right through the cooler day and nights, I cannot know to what degree they will extend their bloom because so much is determined by if the weather is warm or cool, dry or damp. You will see in these photos that some years the Flowering Gazebo is totally overrun with flowers while other years the foliage is more dominate, which is still beautiful just with different effects. The warmer the weather the more beautiful the flowers, cooler temps slow down flower production.

The flowers are pretty much the same as have been going for a few weeks: DAHLIA, ROSES, a few late CLEMATIS, CHRYSANTHEMUM, ASTER, VERONICA, CONTINUAL SUMMER-LONG BLOOMING ANNUALS such as PETUNIA and SALVIA, GERANIUM, perennial AGERATUM and ANEMONES. More flowers will bloom with warmer temps, cooler temps slow the regeneration because even nature knows it will soon be slowing to a stop and taking a several month long nap, only to awaken next Spring.

The TALL GRASS is still a beautiful backdrop this entire season.

FALL COLOR:
These photos can be deceptive as to the color available in the fall season because the color is very unpredictable and often short-lived.
The beauty of the BIRCH TREE lasts anywhere from 3-6 days, depending if the weather is warm or cool; the warmer the days, the shorter the leaves hold on. The rest of the Island trees do not create pretty color together; the MOUNTAIN ASH, by the Cedar Gazebo is pretty for a couple weeks. The SEVEN-SONS-FLOWER TREES are very pretty because of their dark pink flower sepals. The NORWAY MAPLE does not normally color very pretty. The FLOWERING GAZEBO starts it's decent in preparation for winter, with less and less flowers and even dead foliage if there has been a hard frost. FRONT OAK AND HICKORY TREES are pretty from a distance but not able to really be a part of many photos because of their distance from the Island.
I always advise people not to want this time of year only for fall colors because I'm afraid they will be disappointed with the reality of color and weather, which most professional photographers will also tell you about photography for fall color. Remember, because this is also my home, I have the luxury of taking my photos on the best days for color, few as they may be.