By mid-October, gardens are usually dying, and bright colors come more from foliage than from flowers. This year, so far, seems different.  






The number of flowers that are still brightly blooming is surprising us.












Some flowers will be blooming weeks from now.  Even without flowers, there are muted beauties in the gardens, below.






Fruit trees are bearing, though our pears are much less abundant than they were last season. Other fruit will be welcome in seasons to come. The plum trees look promising.


There's promise of an other great asparagus crop next year.


Some cheery colors, like the winterberries, will be with us all winter.