November 2011
Glory Days
Leonard J. Buck Garden, Far Hills, NJ
The days may have gotten shorter and the temperatures much cooler but November in Somerset County Park Commission’s Leonard J. Buck Garden is a spectacular scene.
Orange-red leaves of the all time favorite sugar maple, Acer saccharum, and the maroon star-shaped, leaves of sweetgum, Liquidambar styraciflua, blanket the Garden’s floor. Woodland’s edges abound with showy natives such as Virginia sweetspire shrub, Itea virginica, prized for its outstanding fall color that often persists into early winter.
Shagbark hickory, Carya ovata, makes a statement all its own with its shaggy strips of light gray bark and native oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, reluctantly relinquishes a few deep purple, leathery leaves allowing a glimpse of cinnamon-brown exfoliating bark.
The perennial blue star, Amsonia hubrectii, still shows off its brilliant gold needle-like autumn foliage, and the great Solomon’s seal, Polygonatum ‘Variegatum’, with variegated arching branches, gracefully takes its last bow of the season.
The month of November also has its wildlife parties.
Benches located throughout the Garden allow visitors to savor nature’s bounty. Watch chipmunks and squirrels scurry to gather falling acorns and hickory nuts for their winter food supply and also the birds that manage to find a fruitful haven.
Come for a leisurely stroll through this naturalistic woodland setting and become aware of the many fruits, nuts, and variety of tree cones. The rock outcroppings, the calm of the pond, and the gently flowing Moggy Brook will provide a natural backdrop of serenity.
From ablaze to a bronze, November has its own charm.
- Tricia Scibilia, interpretive gardener, Leonard J. Buck Garden, Somerset County Park Commission:
www.somersetcountyparks.org
**Photos by Tricia Scibilia unless otherwise noted
....................
More blooming news
Print this page:
Printer-friendly page
Click Here for Site Map | Privacy Policy | Web site developed by SHiNYMACHiNE web development