I absolutely agree with you! We have three different Japanese maples that are blazing away in crimson, incandescent orange, yellow. Just driving or walking around- the trees are amazing and the weather is good. Who says we don't have fall color??

This year is extraordinary! We have been enjoying the beauty and have spent much time tidying up the garden for winter. It's been so warm.

Here is a link that might be useful:

I was noticing the fall color this year as well. You never notice how many bigleaf maples there are on the hills until fall... and this year is much better than usual. 2002 was also an excellent year for fall color.

I was thinking the same thing as I was driving around this weekend. The fall color seems to be particularly intense, especially with maples and oaks. I drive to a pretty rural area each day for work and the trees along the way are astounding. And it's also great to have the sun and some warmth to enjoy them, at least for awhile :-)

And the deep purply-red ash trees lining 35th NE in the Lake City area are stunning!

- 35th Ave NE, from NE 84th to NE 137th: 'Flame' City street-trees pl. in 1972, the largest (@ 10532) 70' x 8'5 1/4" x 73' wide

--A.L. Jacobson, TREES OF SEATTLE - SECOND EDITION

who also notes that

A street originally planted with 'Flame' will usually have replacement trees of 'Raywood', and even more recent replacements of White ash cultivars. The replacements are, in each case, an effort to improve on the previous choice

I agree that it is more spectacular than usual. I drove to the coast last week and the big leaf maples were blazing yellow against the doug firs in the coast range. Just gorgeous especially along Hwy 6 on the way home from Tillamook.

I live near 35th Ave NE and really enjoy the purple ash fall color, very beautiful.

The ash's don't seem to have weathered our last big windstorm very well, a good majority of them tipped over. They must not have a very big root system, or the fact they're planted in the parking strips might not help.
I really do enjoy their tiny leaves, which seem to rake themselves up with the wind.

I hit Kubota gardens and the japanese maples we're intense! Mine are just coloring up, they're very protected.
Good fall color year, certainly!

Hence the transition from Caucasian ash cultivars to white ash cultivars in municipal street tree planting - the Caucasian ash selections have a tendency toward mechanical defects - mostly due to poor branch angles. The falling over you have seen recently could be due to root deformities, a pandemic problem resulting from apparently widespread careless production practices involving growth of plants in containers. Once a body becomes aware of the need to watch out for rootbound stock when shopping it can be quite a chore to find acceptable specimens.

It's the best I've seen in 34 years in the SWWA. I think it is because of having some rain in Aug and Sept and then some delay before the real rains begin. I'm just back from visiting my original home in the NE and find that this year we compare quite favorably! jwww

The most deeply colored Caucasian ashes I've seen this year are those at the Northgate Park and Ride (Seattle).

I'm surprised nobody has posted a pic or two. I think this Fall has been the most colorful in a long time. The Bigleaf Maples have really shown some color this year where I live.
So have the Japanese Maples.

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Here is a link that might be useful: Fall 2008 in my garden

Even our native dogwood has better than average colors this year. I took this shot out the back door looking north.
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Cornus nuttallii

lovely pictures, Botann - love your "creature"!!

Botann I love your trees and gardens. What is the beautiful weeping tree or plant in the background of the picture labeled fall on page 2?
Great creature, lots of work to keep in shape I bet.
Linda

That's gold and black bamboo. Every few weeks it needs trimming all through the year.
The crocagator is trimmed two times a year in the summer. Not much work at all. He is gaining weight however, and not growing much longer. I see a diet in his future.

Sorry I am a bit late on this thread, I've been in Mexico for a while! Here is our driveway approach with some good pretty good color before I left. I bet it doesn't look like that now :-(

Here is a link that might be useful: http://public.fotki.com/BambooMary/my_green_house/my_garden/the-garden-throught/garden-2008/sept-oct/0804133336edited1.html