Grace Notes

After the rowdy color and all-encompassing, over-the-top shout of the autumn foliage, I find myself looking for the grace notes of the small, quiet things. It's like going from sitting in the midst of an orchestra that's playing The 1812 Overture to listening a simple tune on a bamboo flute.

A chance composition of snow, a pine needle and the lovely curve of a fallen leaf on a spray of shore juniper has the spare beauty of ikebana.

Echinacea's dark seed heads are striking accents, as well as a promise of more purple cone flowers to come.

A curled leaf could almost be a rose unfurling.

Siberian iris seed pods peep open to show off their shiny black fruit.


There's always something interesting in the garden, especially through the close-up lens.