Garden Photo of the Day

Trees Before the Leaves

Enjoying the beauty of bare branches

Today’s photos come from Dusanka Marusic in Nassau County, New York.

The silver lining to the coronavirus is spending more time looking out each window of our home as winter turns to spring. It’s become a good time to clean up and assess the trees before the leaves come out. Now that we are asked to stay home, I have found more time to appreciate the trees, their structural beauty. Some limbs might need to be trimmed, but hiring a crew will need to wait.

willow treeThe willow’s light green color is a borrowed view that is welcome.

oak treeThe silhouette of a strong oak tree.

star magnoliaThis star magnolia (Magnolia stellata, Zones 4–9) was planted by my son a few years ago. It’s become a Mother’s Day annual gift. Now I just need to decide which tree to pick for this May.

river birchOnce the river birch (Betula nigra, Zones 4–9) leaves come, I hardly notice the neighbors’ home.

Leafless branches make an intricate pattern against a blue spring sky.

Mature trees are a wonderful feature in any landscape or neighborhood.

Taken just a week after the rest of these photos, this image demonstrates how spring is beginning to show as the first signs of leaves develop on the trees.

 

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Comments

  1. User avater
    user-7007816 04/02/2020

    Yes, I agree with you on the beauty of trees in silhouette in the winter and then the excitement of watching the leaves begin to bud out. I have some contorted and weeping beech trees that are particularly interesting.

  2. User avater
    treasuresmom 04/02/2020

    I have never forgotten something that my American Lit teacher said & that was that only in spring do you see the trees with all the different shades of green.

  3. User avater
    bdowen 04/02/2020

    A beautiful reminder to get outside and look up! Thank you for sharing your view.

  4. User avater
    simplesue 04/02/2020

    Nice observations on nature and trees, great photography.
    Nothing like a tree!

  5. btucker9675 04/02/2020

    Love the variety of pale clean green colors as the trees leaf out in the Spring. Don't love the pale green/yellow pollen that is coating everything.... : ) . Thank you for sharing the beauty of trees.

  6. Dusanka 04/02/2020

    Thank You everyone. DM

  7. User avater
    vanhatalosuomi 04/04/2020

    Lovely photos and a wonderful detail study of leafless limbs. We have planted several trees in addition to the mature fruiting trees we started with. My biggest complaint about mature trees are the countless leaves which land in our yard from other property nearby.
    Your photos of your yard are completely leaf-free. What's your yearly regime for leaf removal?
    How do you address the work created from someone else's leaves?

    1. Dusanka 04/21/2020

      I started a compost pile a few years ago and keep all leaves, grass clippings, and smaller branches on site. I have weekly landscaping service but ask them not to take it away. I bag the weeds to a landfill until I figure out how to dispose of better. I attended a class out east with VanGal who convinced me to do so. This year there was lots of compost to "harvest".
      Next I'm almost ready to buy a small shredder for the leaves so I can return them to the flower beds immediately this Fall. I read the leaves are "gold" and now see them as an opportunity rather than a burden. Consider it.

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