As traffic jams our local highway traveling to see glorious autumn foliage in the mountains, there is plenty of color here in the garden. And, more to come.

While the peak color is currently on display, several of the most colorful Japanese maples (above and below) do not turn until mid-November. A few of the maples turn to an unremarkable yellow, but others glow with buttery yellows and brilliant reds. The best of the lot, I think, the fernleaf Japanese maple (Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’, above) seems slower to turn this year, and unfortunately, the mottled reds and yellows must compete with scattered, drought-induced, brown leaves.

As I look from the kitchen window overlooking the rear garden, I am delighted that summer faded maples have turned again to red, but overhanging the front walk the lacy, green leaves of ‘Seriyu’ (Acer palmatum ‘Seriyu’, below) also turn to red. Visitors to the garden are often surprised to see such a large lace leafed Japanese maple the arches overhead along the front walk, and in its autumn color it is most remarkable.

While Japanese maples are most numerous, there is more splendid foliage joining late flowering camellias and toad lilies, and berries on hollies and beautyberries. The recently expanded collection of ginkgo shows varying degrees of autumn foliage color depending on the tree’s sunlight exposure. Today, only the variegated ‘Majestic Butterfly’ (I think, below) begins to show the distinctive yellow that appears for only a few days before the leaves drop almost overnight. Other, slightly shaded ginkgoes remain green, but these will soon turn.

While blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica) is best known for its autumn foliage, the ‘Wildfire’ cultivar (below) in the garden sacrifices a fraction of its October beauty for delightful coloring on newly emerging leaves through spring and early summer. Still, its color is exceptional beginning in September with leaves hanging on into November.

The autumn foliage of hydrangeas are often overlooked, but the oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia, below) stand out in the the garden. Ones in shade are late to color and occasionally these display little color, but ones in part sun are brilliant with leaves that often persist into the new year.

I am often conflicted in my regard for trees with yellow autumn foliage. There is a line below which yellow looks sickly, but above this point yellow can stand out even amongst other yellows. The bottlebrush buckeyes (Aesculus parvilfora, below) flash neon in the shade. Certainly, a visitor would inquire “what is that”?

I notice that I have planted more trees with yellow and fewer large trees with red autumn foliage. The katsura (Katsura japonica, below) is another with exceptional yellow foliage, though it lasts only a short while before leaves fall.

But, there are red leaves in the garden. While it’s still small, the redbud hazel (Disanthus cercidifolius, below) will someday be a standout at the forest’s edge. I was intrigued when I first spied its redbud-like leaves in a public garden, so of course I had to add one to this garden.