Typically our fall colors are governed by cold weather during the first two weeks of October, which is when fall foliage appears and peaks. If we do not get frost during that time, sugar maple leaf colors do not progress much past the golden/orange colors into the brilliant reds. With recent warmer temperatures extending well into November and December, our fall foliage hasn't been what it used to be these past few years. Climate change at work.

I don't believe there is any correlation between cold or snow in spring and when leaves change color and fall off the trees in the fall. Strong winds in October, of course, will blow many of the colorful leaves off the trees before their time, resulting in a shortened foliage season.

Most gardeners here in New England plant hardy flowers, or else prepare to cover up, or bring more tender annuals into their garages, sheds, or houses, if an unexpected frost comes. Tough flowers like daffodils or snowdrops will bloom in the snow, while other perennials do not rear their heads until warmer weather appears. Still there is always the possibility of weather damage to trees and shrubs from storms bringing winds and heavy wet snow breaking branches of shrubs and trees from the weight. A good snow cover on the ground all winter is a protective insulator for plants and trees, and again, these past mostly snowless winters have been hard on some of our growing things,

In the early spring, cold nights are necessary for the sap to run, but maple sugaring is whole other issue.

I hope if you do visit my state, you luck into a great foliage season. It is something to see! It might just convince you to move here, so welcome if you do!

I, on the other hand, have never been to the west coast, and I hope to someday. The farthest west I have ever been was Phoenix, Arizona. A lot of natural beauty there too, very different from New England!

Climate change has affected us here too, there are freak warm days in winter and freak cold days in summer and the timing of the seasons is changing I think.The problem when we have warm weather in winter things start sprouting then it's back to cold and there is damage to the new growth. But, gardening is still great here. I guess I had better see the fall foliage before it's too late. Since I never saw it in past years, I won't be disappointed. CA is sort of like a desert because we don't get summer rains, so we have to water things to make them grow and sometimes water them a lot, so many people inland grow these water saving plants, but they don't have big flowers. They have little flowers and little leaves and may be dry and or prickly. But, San Francisco is different. I can't grow water savers, it's too cold, so I grow the standard sort of plants mostly like Hydrangeas and Dahlias.

Route 100 was suggested. but it may be too slow. There is also route 89 91 or 93, I think we will be coming from New Hampshire into Vermont on 93, but then leaving on another highway. Which is the best for fall foliage? We are not going on a weekend, so I hope the traffic will be ok.

Hi Tropical, the highways that you mention (89 and 91) have some pretty good vistas, but everything you can see from these 4 lane divided interstates is sort of distant. I'd really advise taking a side excursion on route 100 as suggested, or possibly route 30, where you can see the trees, farms, mountains, rivers, covered bridges etc up close and drive at a more leisurely pace. These are simple two lane paved roads.

I doubt that the traffic here in Vermont is anything like California traffic. You might run into more cars if you are passing by Manchester, NH on 93 when people are getting out of work, but nothing that would slow traffic. Also during foliage season there is an influx of tourists coming to our state to view the leaves ("leaf peepers" as they're affectionately known) but again not enough to slow the traffic flow.

I hope you have a nice trip and that the weather is sunny and the colors bright.

Thanks, I did change things around. At first I was going to Montpelier because I thought the James Madison House was there, but it is Montpelier VA. So that was pretty silly, so I changed the plan from driving so far north to driving more to the south to insect route 100. I found a hotel in Dover, that seems nice, and it is right along 100 itself, so we are not sure to miss anything. Small roads in CA can get very crowded such the road to Stinson Beach instead it's better to take the bigger road 101.

I guess we don't have those interesting trees in California is the lack of summer rain. Any tree we can have has to deal with a very dry summer. I love those real forests, and to think I have never been there yet. I just know I love them. I would have to find a tree expert to tell me why, I can't find it on google. Then of course, we don't have real seasons in San Francisco, summer is the same temp as winter.

LOL, that is funny about mixing up the two Montpeliers, but understandable, especially given the similar state abbreviations, ie VT and VA! I was never aware that there was a city by that same name in another state either until I adopted a dog from a rescue group in the south and he came with a rabies tag from the Montpelier Veterinary Clinic!

You shouldn't have a problem with traffic on route 100; it's very rural here. I know what you mean though. There is a seacoast road in Maine and New Hampshire that can get heavily congested in summer with beach goers.

The arid conditions in the western states probably have something to do with why sugar maples, white birch, and other northeastern trees do not do well in CA, but I suspect the warm weather has more to do with it. Sugar maples and others grow well here in the northeastern US and up into eastern Canada; they thrive in cold weather.

There are some beautiful forests in the western states too, although they have a different look to them. Years ago I took a guided horseback ride through pine or some kind of tall conifer forest near the Grand Canyon. Perhaps because of the high elevation (and cooler temps) the trees did well, but they were a western species too, different than conifers here in the east.

If you have time and enjoy walking in the woods, the Green Mountain National Forest runs up the middle of our state and there are many access points where you can park and walk the trails.

We have some coastal redwood forests, but they can be a bit dark. There is a lot of same kind of tree. If it is already cold and foggy it can be very unpleasant as the dripping from the trees is like a cold rain. When the weather is hot and sunny, they are refreshing. The air feels good under the coast redwoods. They have a nice sort of fragrance.

It's way to early to guess what Fall foliage will be like. If anything, I'd say all the spring rain is a good sign. I know droughts in the summer are bad for Fall foliage...the leaves sort of wilt and turn brown before they turn color. Of course, it's early yet...we still could end up with a late summer drought.

Obviously a big reason we have Fall foliage is many plants shed their leaves in the winter, which I understand doesn't happen as much in southern California. Southern California also gets drought. VT has a lot of maple trees, which tend to have pretty Fall foliage.

If you are gardening in New England, you will have a slightly smaller selection of perennial flowers and fruit trees. More tropical flowers and Mediterranean bulbs can survive in California then New England. To complicate things, a lot of those tropicals are still sold in New England...they are just sold as annuals or for indoor use.

This post was edited by edlincoln on Wed, Jun 12, 13 at 14:58

If you had the choice of taking route 101 into Brattleboro Vermont from highway 93 in New Hampshire or of continuing along 93 to 89 and taking what looks like 9 or 202 to Brattleboro which one would be more scenic? We are staying the first night in Manchester NH, and I canâÂÂt decided if I should then go back to take 101 or move northward to take 202. We are staying in Dover, and will proceed to Dover from Brattleboro. On the way back we will be taking 91, so we wonâÂÂt see it twice. Although I could go back the other way, we have to drive a long way on that day to get to Cape Cod where I found very reasonable priced accommodations as it is the off season. My mother has never seen Cape Cod and neither have I, although she saw the Fall Foliage before I was born.

It is too late to change the plane tickets now, so I have to be happy with what ever foliage I get this year, even if I miss the peaks. I am sure from my back ground, I will appreciate it. There is no fall color around here at all.