Some fall flowers . . .
A famous writer once said, "You can lead a Horticulture, but you can't make her think." How true that is. And it makes you wonder who grows plants like these . . . .
The closer we get to winter, the more the New England countryside reverts to black-and white. It's like the saturation dial gets turned down, day by day. But you can still find spots of color. One place I look is the greenhouses at Smith College. When I was a kid the Smith girls were superior and snooty, and they sneered at the likes of me. Now, though, they admit me to their institution and are even friendly, especially when I pay to get in. These are some of the plants from their fall mum show, which runs through the 20th:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rwOoV8agNGiQKN28e_a2rtvJkxcToUvIDSL1ccRPTOYyJ53qSj_8ucQMKKl07NwETT5MOhEww7bQU6nCVG1mDJlSZMp6-6TFOl_I8-AKomnoK8VvpAyy9CTx_SFaVw5VgQH_hoXi5Kfr/s320/DSC_8421.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAC9-6fm3nWLucicQjuroNZg7cC7VT-dKXaEgUUhnCWD3yhenzHNQNpQqfKyPal5u3IihL6tJCRmBNbp6XKq6SZgcIn3nWepG9Cueazkv3rt47LfQFWKXwQXY8M3A674c7eV2ARY4WE5g/s320/DSC_8463.jpg)
I am not sure how they get their mums to grow in a ball, but they do . . .
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisr_PhnZEJN6rGKENa8l4_9QMa_LipFskf562H39KhsJsdgB_YdPPzzN9h6SsMbmCtw3SGTpKO2Q7bLqP-tXJ2JMrpER5coFtk_Hmt_9mJuBPRf8hMyVBdOqJtUfdPIqXjtzHe0H05TaK6/s320/DSC_8400.jpg)
Some of the colors are quite delicate.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqnhYwU10_ZyrtZ3rWTEnD2GB28e5y7JqEtg2G7G7ZqNVpKUrY7aP_Hr7AiE4NNwzVlrEd0w_ewR-Pkd1mjXl-Z-iEUdyTFxCWWdKmbzCMFEc1F3TWVxC8wC7mnY0wM9GUTQokxOiviJA/s320/DSC_8399.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xpkScAwWHXacsDUrVMDPpiL9za9wrEKekeWbPjWmUIeElBV4y0Q47-XCSi29avuNBdW_u6pxCvwftOkhp1mSoa_LZFkCWjNEo4YQxTbPdKwCLjiNRSvGPQFIvVsYYOHb7fkJsHddFfNa/s320/DSC_8396.jpg)
If you like these, there are more over on my Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/johnelderrobison
The closer we get to winter, the more the New England countryside reverts to black-and white. It's like the saturation dial gets turned down, day by day. But you can still find spots of color. One place I look is the greenhouses at Smith College. When I was a kid the Smith girls were superior and snooty, and they sneered at the likes of me. Now, though, they admit me to their institution and are even friendly, especially when I pay to get in. These are some of the plants from their fall mum show, which runs through the 20th:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cuihgckPZkd14VuWiOZYIHLftyMvy62LkyLh6XpnlmEbwMftaEFHX09gRj4XmeUGDPiSWrevKQ7DGL_LCJGTlonxKKb1kl_5dfnSSrjdJ-7s7_wYJVowCx_csQ_4QmS956kcgp3SqdBX/s320/DSC_8426.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rwOoV8agNGiQKN28e_a2rtvJkxcToUvIDSL1ccRPTOYyJ53qSj_8ucQMKKl07NwETT5MOhEww7bQU6nCVG1mDJlSZMp6-6TFOl_I8-AKomnoK8VvpAyy9CTx_SFaVw5VgQH_hoXi5Kfr/s320/DSC_8421.jpg)
I am told they have live bees, snakes, and rats to pollinate and disseminate the plants. So you have to watch your step but it's worth it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9G7Sh4DW18suulyBtlxASeM3BiirHkWmTuwXCpAhlf9FKF5FXC7uom7ox74Tf4huN70w-KSWwgixeeNBYsKk9l4QyXVQHP0ObANBgMzMnT3JlaFPaDdaEmWhOTsTwU5CT9nuiPX__Pjx/s320/DSC_8416.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAC9-6fm3nWLucicQjuroNZg7cC7VT-dKXaEgUUhnCWD3yhenzHNQNpQqfKyPal5u3IihL6tJCRmBNbp6XKq6SZgcIn3nWepG9Cueazkv3rt47LfQFWKXwQXY8M3A674c7eV2ARY4WE5g/s320/DSC_8463.jpg)
I am not sure how they get their mums to grow in a ball, but they do . . .
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXU9tDSdkvpgkB_30CpPPtBes9GDRmQeQWaKWccLLDj9SjtJzCTfFOhonlQPiwRBXqfsSUQMjwBLaRjS1qJyz5mYYKuhO9VTFqCRAL69LVX22yQGCkFr1RLbyoKoz72AW8pNdnfY2vvo8/s320/DSC_8409.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisr_PhnZEJN6rGKENa8l4_9QMa_LipFskf562H39KhsJsdgB_YdPPzzN9h6SsMbmCtw3SGTpKO2Q7bLqP-tXJ2JMrpER5coFtk_Hmt_9mJuBPRf8hMyVBdOqJtUfdPIqXjtzHe0H05TaK6/s320/DSC_8400.jpg)
Some of the colors are quite delicate.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUr6UpwUu9HLl5HVGj5fWbj2zZpEm_tv7c6OXQz720FNJwKyNCVOV1Jpxtf93_yj0LwMY21YWxGYrs28lTD4assO3A4uvNj9muM24-8lKqx00TgOPltg-m8L1jjKwE9Ac_e7QMJFHblpq/s320/DSC_8456.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqnhYwU10_ZyrtZ3rWTEnD2GB28e5y7JqEtg2G7G7ZqNVpKUrY7aP_Hr7AiE4NNwzVlrEd0w_ewR-Pkd1mjXl-Z-iEUdyTFxCWWdKmbzCMFEc1F3TWVxC8wC7mnY0wM9GUTQokxOiviJA/s320/DSC_8399.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QGO3__qRFMMeT5sKRSY514Qv7w6zDuHiRQrffoMtgcE0T54gfN6UJFx1WwQOCNcTaYrdGrAwM9mZxb0SzWDyWdYrhNe8Aq70GG7C-dz6twnTlRPmN4uglPp9eW1B1KY9trBRRQZkuV-0/s320/DSC_8401.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xpkScAwWHXacsDUrVMDPpiL9za9wrEKekeWbPjWmUIeElBV4y0Q47-XCSi29avuNBdW_u6pxCvwftOkhp1mSoa_LZFkCWjNEo4YQxTbPdKwCLjiNRSvGPQFIvVsYYOHb7fkJsHddFfNa/s320/DSC_8396.jpg)
If you like these, there are more over on my Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/johnelderrobison
Comments
yelp!
your men-tee-
stacie
and i have to say
that i just finished reading
your book
and really, really enjoyed it.
you have a way with words
and a great way of telling a story...
i would definitely recommend it
to others...
:O)
- J.
Web Solutions
Got a date for the release of book #2 yet? Thinking about the varmint hole test still makes me giggle! :D