A Walk in the Woods – Owen Conservation Park in Color

A Walk in the Woods © 2010 Bo Mackison

I think of this time of autumn — after most of the leaves have fallen, before the first snow falls — as a dull, colorless time of the year. This photograph proves me incorrect. Blue skies, a bit of yellow and green still on the bushes, and red fallen leaves mixed amongst the brown. Color all around. Just for the looking.

Photographed in Owen Conservation Park, Madison Wisconsin.

Frosted Seedhead – Morning in Owen Conservation Park

Seedheads with Bokeh at Owen Conservation Park in Madison, Wisconsin

Frosted Seedheads © 2010 Bo Mackison

Another photo from early morning in Wisconsin. Frost and mist give an extra bit of mood to a field of prairie flower seed heads.

Photographed at Owen Conservation Park in Madison, Wisconsin.

Good Morning, November – Misty in Owen Conservation Park

Good Morning, November © 2010 Bo Mackison

Frosty, misty, so early in the morning, the earth hasn’t had time to put on her proper colors. Still in that early morning froth of pink. Photographed at Owen Conservation Park on Election Day morning.

What will this day hold?

‘Golden Shadow’

'Golden Shadow' © 2010 Bo Mackison

I took this photograph of a most unusual plant a few weeks ago at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. I took it before we had had our first frost. I took it when we’d had an abundance of rain. I took it when the mosquitoes were each the size of a dive-bombing hornet, and each mosquito had targeted me as dinner. Therefore, I grabbed a quick look at the tag on the plant, and noted its name was ‘Golden Shadow.’ And I took cover in the car in an attempt to escape the mosquitoes.

Weeks later, I wanted to find out a little more about these lovely golden shadow leaves and so I started Googling “Golen Shadow’.  I found a dogwood with the name of ‘Golden Shadow’ – no resemblance. Then I found a Paper Mulberry ‘Golden Shadow’, but it looked nothing like this plant either.

So though I love the unusual look of this plant, and it has the most wonderful deep butterscotch color, and the texture was a velvety nub, I have no identity for it other than “Golden Shadow’.

Starry, Starry Night – Sweet Autumn Clematis

Tiny White Blossoms at Allen Centennial Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin

Starry, Starry Night © 2010 Bo Mackison

These tiny blossoms of the Sweet Autumn Clematis remind me of masses of flowery constellations. This late flowering vine has thousands of tiny star shaped flowers and blooms from the end of August to October.

It is delightfully fragrant and is twined about the gates to the Allen Centennial Gardens, making the entrance especially attractive when so few flowers are now in their prime.