magic light

When the sun's rays are slanting in the early morning and in the evening, it throws harsh shadows and makes colours pop.  It's called magic light.  Here is what it looks like in my yard.

It's November 9, and this rose is trying its best to offer one more bloom so late in the season.

After the tiny purple flowers have faded, the wild aster puts out fluff balls of seed heads, and the leaves change to orange.

Queen of the Prarie changed its pink flowers for fluffy white balls.

Backlit seedheads from ornamental grass.

Beams of light turn the seed heads from Carl Foester reed grass to silver.

Blueberries do double duty - berries in summer and scarlet leaves in fall.

The jerusalem artichokes look like triffids.  

I'll be watching for signs they are advancing towards the house.

The red oak lives up to its name.

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) from the milkweed family develops pods that pop open to reveal seed heads that will drift away with the smallest puff of wind.

Thse orange chinese lanterns have grown up through the Solomon's Seal, and it looks like one plant.

Monkshood blooms really late - framed by a "dwarf" burning bush that is huge.

Dark red smoke bush with white "smoke"

bright burgundy blooms of Autumn Joy sedum