Blue Ridge Mountains in November. Photo by Judith Canty Graves
“Twilight comes early now …by five o’clock with a blue light that fades on the hills and deepens in the valleys.” — Hal Borland, Sundial of the Seasons
By Judith Canty Graves
In November, the fall season deepens. The light changes with shorter days and the sun low on the horizon. Shadows lengthen dramatically. Night envelops the landscape in a cocoon of darkness by late afternoon. The world feels different as frost sets in and plants die.
During October, I like to think that summer still lingers, but by November that is no longer the case. There may be warm days after the first frost, but there will also be brisk days and nights requiring coats and hats. The butterflies and hummingbirds are gone. There is a noticeable shift in the landscape as we move toward winter.
As for gardens, the growing season comes to an end in November with a killing frost of under 25 degrees. A few hardy vegetables such as kale and cabbage will survive, but most plants die. The mighty tithonias fall over. These impressive plants may be seven feet tall, but they can’t survive the cold. I remove them, as well as zinnias and okra. I strip the bean stalks from the trellis. November is the month of dismantling the garden, but it is also a month of beauty.
On chilly November mornings, trees cast dark slanting shadows across my yard, since the rising sun is behind them. If the temperature is at or below freezing, there can be a light frost, creating tiny sparkles on the grass. The ferns are covered in a delicate coating of ice, curled up and silvery in the morning light. As the sun rises, the temperature will go up a bit and the early morning crystals will melt. But, they transform the landscape with a premonition of the colder weather that is coming.
The autumnal experience deepens as we transition to winter. There is less daylight, darker shadows and colder temperatures. Early November shows a last flash of vibrant color before leaves fall. The Japanese maples, in particular, turn a brilliant crimson for days, showing us a brightness that wasn’t there in summer. By late November, the landscape reveals a different beauty, especially the trees. Once the leaves fall, their previously hidden structure and shape is revealed for us to see.
November colors are more subdued, but I think they are striking, especially the shades of blue and purple in our mountains at dusk. The world feels mysterious as the landscape changes. Perhaps this month is symbolic of our own progression as we age and move toward our time of reflection, loss and change.
The darkness of late fall allows us to rest, slow down and contemplate our own lives. Like the trees and the earth, we are also changing and moving forward to our next season. May we appreciate this time to cherish the darkness and the beauty of the November landscape.
Judith Canty Graves is an award-winning columnist with a home garden in Asheville. Follow @TheObservantGardener on Instagram to see new garden photos daily.
