Fall in Madison: The UW Arboretum

The hidden benefit of house guests is that you almost always go exploring in your hometown — something most of us never get around to doing without the excuse of visitors. Mark — along with guest/friend/fellow gardener and blogger Julie Siegel — spent a recent Sunday afternoon exploring the UW-Madison Arboretum and the Jens Jensen-designed Glenway Children's Park, while I was working. 

These photos of the Arb give you a sense of what a wonderful natural area we have available to us right in the heart of the city. 

The photo below is the view in the opposite direction of the image above. It's right next to a high traffic roadway that has the saving grace of this historic house.

Much of the foliage in the Arboretum was showing subdued fall color, except for this always amazing Black Tupelo tree whose leaves turn a shining lipstick red.

Usually I am the person who takes plant notes while Mark shoots the photos. This time Mark and Julie were each taking pictures and having trouble locating identification tags. Thus I can't tell you exactly which Hydrangea this is — even though Julie crawled right inside of it in hopes of finding its name! 

The tree bark above is also unknown but the two images below are a Euonymus according to the tags Mark saw.

 

Comments

[Lisa at Greenbow]

I thought that hydrangea was getting some much needed protein. Darling photo of Julie. Love the bark of the unidentified tree. It is oh so true about not exploring your own home town unless one has company. Why are we that way?

[Altoon]

Thanks for the beautiful tour. I too love the bark of the unknown tree; the photo looks like we are seeing rippling reflections on water. As for the hydrangea, it looks similar to some loose flowered paniculata, like "Pink Diamond".

[Barbara H.]

Mark's photos are always delicious. The tree bark looks like lovely silky fabric. It is fantastic!

[Les]

Beautiful photos, all of them with the more subdued fall colors. Our H. paniculatas never get that rich pink color here, they thrive otherwise, perhaps its too hot.

[Julie Siegel]

It's always a treat to explore with you two! And to have Mark's fine photos for memories...if I had a little gel, bet I could sculpt my hair into that paniculata vase shape.