Nederlands / Dutch

                                           
                                             Autumn        

In the autumn there is still enough to discover. Some plants remain flowering. For instance the knotweed (Polygonum amplexicaule). Annual Honesty or Silver Dollar (Lunaria annua) shows its seed pods with the appearance of silver coins. I like to peel the thin layers from the seed pods to get the “silver dollars”. My terrace has been renewed and made larger. The hedge of English yew (Taxus bacata) at the left has been pruned two meters lower. Now I can see the houses again. That’s a pity, but we get more sunlight in the garden now.  

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The compost heap must be removed and spread throughout our garden. I make compost of all household and garden waste. I mix the leaves with old compost. After a year I have good compost again.  

I posted these photos on the website years ago. I leave them as they are, because I still like to look at them. Most of the plants as well as the compost pile are still there. Only the palm has died. It was not hardy and grew too big to stand in the room. After that we bought a very small hardy palm, Trachycarpus fortunei. First it stood in the flower pot of the previous palm. When it got too big I put him in about the same spot in the garden. It grows faster and faster.

  Chinese windmill palm, windmill palm, Chusan palm, (Trachycarpus fortunei). Photo 8-11-2021

The mushrooms, which I see a lot in the garden, are the earthstar and the common earthball. On both mushrooms you can see an insect.

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Actually I don't know much about mushrooms. But I have placed a few photos on this page.
I want to thank everyone, who has helped me (waarneming.nl) to identify.

Champignon spec. Family Agaricaceae.  These mushrooms are edible. But I don't try. Scaly Wood Mushroom,  Blushing Wood Mushroom (Agaricus silvaticus) is possible if you look at these photos. But then the colour changes to blood red or pink when you cut Agaricus silvaticus. Unfortunately the colour of this mushroom did not change.

Coprinus micaceus The similar species C. pallidissimus and C. truncorum are also possible. But they are much rarer. Family Coprinaceae. These fungi arise in small clumps. As shown in this picture. When they are young, the mushrooms are covered in tiny white granules.  On dead tree stumps, as well as (like here) on rich soil. May to November.

Cerocorticium molare Family Cyphellaceae. The fruiting body has a surface of a crust covered with about 4 mm long blunt spines with a whitish margin (about 4 cm). A close relative of the Cerocorticium confluens. When you rub it, you smell a chemical odor. Found on branches blown off an oak

Collared earthstar, saucered earthstar, triple earthastar  (Geastrum triplex) Family earthstar fungi (Geastraceae). In Europe there are 20 species. The collar is especially visible in the right picture. In other pictures you can see that the outer wall splits into 4 to 8 pointed rays. They crack as they bend back. Especially in woodlands and dunes. Asia, Australasia, Europe, and both North and South Americ

Helmmycena (Mycena galericulata) Family Mycenaceae. Characteristic of this species: White gills (with a slightly reddish lights). The cap is bell-shaped with a hump in the middle. It smells like flour. In clusters on tree trunks. Here they are on deciduous pieces of wood.

Hapalopilus rutilans Family Polyporaceae.  The cap has a curved edge. On the cap you see pores 4-10 mm ldeep. The fragrance is sweet. The colour changes to purple when you drop lye (KOH) or ammonia on it. Found on branches blown off an oak.

Psathyrella spec. Family Psathyrellaceae. I can't determine this mushroom without microscope. They are often small and inconspicuous.

Upright coral (Ramaria stricta) Family Ramariaceae. You can often find them on trunks and branches of deciduous trees. In this case, pieces of rotten wood of an apple tree. It looks like coral. Similar species are: Ramaria flaccida and Ramaria eumorpha.

Stereum hirsutum Family Stereaceae. The fruiting body looks like small, wavy, leathery shelves with a surface of had crust. It does not discolour, when you scratch it. Found on branches blown off an oak.

Blue-foot (Psilocybe caerulea) or Psilocybe aeruginosa. Family Strophariaceae   Mushrooms with a blue cap with a green slimy skin.

Redlead Roundhead ( Leratiomyces ceres)

Wood ear, jelly ear, Jew's ear, (Auricularia auricula-judae). Family Auriculariaceae. Actually it doesn't belong on the autumn page, because they were photographed in the (mild) winter in February. But they occur all year round on old or dead branches of shrubs. In this case on a butterfly bush. They do well in humid conditions. When dry, the size of the hat decreases. As the name suggests, they indeed resemble an ear. They are edible. Photo 23-2-2024.

These two mushrooms appeared in 2013, when one of the chestnut trees wascut down.

Smoky polypore, smoky bracke (Bjerkandera adusta). Family Meruliaceae. They grow on dead logs. Light to dark gray with a white border, which later becomes dark. This species: At the underside dark gray tubes.

Honey fungus (Armillaria). Family Physalacriaceae. There are several species. Parasitic. They live off the dead wood, but they can also be very harmful to living trees. They grow at the base of the stem or in the vicinity of the tree on the roots or buried dead wood. Hopefully it will not affect our other chestnut.

In 2018 for the first time at the chestnuts on the street in front of our house.

Bulbous Honey Fungus (Armillaria lutea). Family Physalacriaceae.  Recognizable by the tubular thickened base. On dead wood, often at the base of trees. Fortunately, not harmful to living trees, like other honey fungi. Photos 15-10-2018.

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus). Family Pleurotaceae. Grows on living and dead trees. Usually a sign that the trees are not healthy. This chestnut was unfortunately cut down a month later. Photos 7-3-2018, 7-3-2018.

The front garden October 2007. After this photo I have raked the leaves.

Below: The two horse chestnuts in the back garden. Sometimes I become crazy of sweeping flowers leaves, of all those falling chestnuts. (One through a roof-window) Disadvantages are also: The costs of pruning. When it storms I fear they will fall. Still I can’t miss them.. Advantage: In summer we have a cool house.  

2012: Unfortunately, one of the chestnut trees has become ill. Here the report. 

 

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Autumn flowers.

Monk's-hood (Aconitum carmichaelii)  Family Ranunculaceae, There’s also a species on the page “summer flowers”. We had bought a coupleof these plants on the market a couple at. These started flowering much later than the other monk’s-hood. (IX, X) Now we have got flowers the whole year. Sun-part shade. Moist, organically rich, well-drained soils. Toxic!

Cyclamen hederifolium  In September they start flowering  with small pink flowers. Leaves appear a short time later, then build their size and numbers in earnest throughout November. Heart or arrow-shaped leaves have a pattern in silver, grey.  It self-seeds freely. Native to south France to Turkey

Autumn aster (Aster yunnanensis) I ‘m not sure it’s the right name. Height: 40 cm.. Bloom time: IX - XI. Fertile, moist but well drained soil. Already more than twenty years in our garden.

Bugbane or cohosh (Cimicifuga simplex) Bloom time  X, XI.  Sun - shade  Humus rich, moist soil. Family Ranunculaceae. In our garden it’s in a beautiful summer to dry. For this reason it doesn't grow well. But I like the flowers. So they stay in the garden. Native to the east of the United States.

Ivy (Hedera helix Simone) This Ivy has been introduced in 1996 as a new species. This shrub-like ivy does not grow higher than 90 cm. You have got flowers at the end of the summer to late in the autumn. Black bays appear after flowering. Especially hover flies like the flowers. The shrub grows in the sun and in the shade and can be pruned. Evergreen.

False holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki'). Family Oleaceae. Sun, half shade. Height 80-100 cm. Bloom time: Vlll-X, The small, white flowers are inconspicuous. In this photo they are in bloom after a warm autumn in November. The toothed leaves resemble those of holly. Native to Japan, Taiwan. Photos 10-3-2022 and 4-11-2022.

Knotweed, knotgrass (Persicaria filiformis, Polygonum virginianum)  Just at the beginning of Autumn it starts flowering. But it’s also a beautiful foliage plant.  Native to Japan, the North east of the Himalayas and the North east of the US. Bloom time: IX, X. Tiny red flower on a wiry stem  (difficult to photograph) Ordinary garden soil, grows best when not too dry. Sun-part shade. It’s self-seeding and spreads by rhizomes. But in our garden it’s growing for 10 years at the same place (perhaps too dry) Margriet thanks for giving the name.

Knotweed, knotgrass (Polygonum amplexicaule) Bloom time: VII - X.  So it also flowers in summer. Family Buckwheat (Polygonaceae). This photograph has been taken at the end of September. It prefers fertile, moist soil.  But on other soil types are not a problem. Sun - shade. It spreads by rhizomes and by self-seeding. Knotweed can be invasive.

Garden Orpine (Sedum teléphium) Family. Succulent leaves flushed bronze with purple stems and clusters of soft pink flowers in late summer. Soil: moderately fertile, well-drained. Sun-part shade. flowering time: VII - X. I have a number of  species. Orphin is also a wildflower in the Netherlands.

Goldenrod (Solidago) this is Canada golden-rod, Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis). Family Asteraceae. Native to the United States and Canada. But now it is often grown as a wildflower also in Europe. The root system producing creeping rhizomes that cause the plants to cluster, but is also self-seeding and can be invasive. Bloom time: VIII - X. sunny. The preference is full to partial sun, and average moisture levels, but it will tolerate also some drought. Many insects like the flowers. I Prune the plant about 10 cm from the ground before the new growing season begins.

Strobilanthes atropurpurea, Strobilanthes atropurpureu. Family Acanthaceae. Bloomtime  VII - X.  The plant has many purple-blue flowers in late summer. I put it in the fall, because it continues to flower for a long time. It grows in any type of soil and likes warmth, but not bright sun. Sun - partial shade. Height 120 cm

Shrubs with beautiful berries. 

Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) flowers are already there as from June. Small spikes of pink flowers appear already in June (not very showy, but the bees like them); fruit is white and berry-like from September through November. At the same time there are new flowers.  Fruit remains on the stem until midwinter. The common snowberry grows everywhere. Full sun to shade; moist, well-drained soils are best, but it tolerates also dryness. Reproduction also by sprouting of underground stems that run horizontally. You can prune it well.   It is native to North America. It was introduced in 1817, in Great Britain and now it has naturalized  in Europe. The Latin name means soap. These plants were often used as a soap by Northwest Indians. The fruit and flowers are photographed at the end of September.

Rock cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis) Bloom time: V, VI. The shrubs are in the garden and against the wall. Well drained garden soil. Sun - shade. In the sun there are more red berries. It spreads by self-seeding. A spreading shrub to 1,5 meter tall. You can prune it well. Native to China

Holly (Hex aquifolium) I have already described the holly on the page "spring2007 ".

English yew (Taxus baccata) An evergreen conifer  native to Europe. I had almost forgotten the yew, although we have a yew hedge around the back garden.  All parts of plant are poisonous and are deadly for cattle. Its sweet fruit is completely toxin free. But you must not eat the seed. The seed is also toxic. So it’s better to eat nothing at all. Especially the children!! Yew is used  in a cancer treatment. The hard wood was formerly often used for making bows. Pruning of these shrubs can be done at any time of the year. Yew can be grown in sun or shade.

Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) in autumn.

Today (20-10-09) I heard noises under a pile of leaves in the garden. When I kept looking, I saw the head of a hedgehog.

Paintings in autumn. (2009)

In October there is "de Kunsttiendaagse" (translated: "ten-day art") in Bergen (the village, where we live). In many shops, banks, hotels you can admire art for ten days. 

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I have also taken some photos of two known places in Bergen.

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Het Oude Hof in Bergen. (translated: The Old Court)

There is already a year passed again. These are pictures of  "de Kunsttiendaagse" (translated: "ten-day art") in October 2010.
This time I have made some pictures of the exhibition at Het Oude Hof. I haven't taken photos in the building of the paintings hanging there.
In the mid 17th century, this mansion was built. The estate is also without sculptures worth a visit. Today, the building is owned by the foundation Blooming. A training company with several hotels and accommodations for training.

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.   The lime trees at the building were planted in 1647 by Studler of Surck. They are also works of art, I think.

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. Through the forest, you come to an open space. There are many modern sculptures. (During the ten-day art)

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Robin
I also have a picture of a robin on the page "spring" and a picture on the page "winter". Then it is not afraid of me, but it still keeps some distance. In the autumn we are good friends. If I'm raking leaves, it is always joining me to see if there is something to eat. Sometimes I am not glad because some insects I would like to shoot.
I hope it likes me. Often it is on a distance of about twenty centimeters. (Like in this picture)

Photo 15-11-2010

Photo 23-11-2011

 Greater White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura russula). Family Soricidae. September 2012.

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Long-tailed Field Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus). Family Muridae.
For the first time I saw a Long-tailed Field Mouse in the garden. I put it with the other mice, although I sawit in the summer between the plants. Characteristics: Large, upright ears, a tail longer than the body, back is golden brown and the belly white. It eats mainly seeds, but also berries, plants, beetles, snails etc. Photos 7-7-2024.

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  Nederlands / Dutch                                                        

Subpage Summerflowers: Summer flowering shrubs.