Autumn

The last three months of the calendar year mark an ending, of sorts, but in the Tawes Garden they're also a season of magical transformations: Maple trees, impenetrable masses of matte green in late Summer, suddenly burst into flame. The bronze ducks by the arbor come to vibrant life, eager to follow their flocks up into the Autumn skies, while the groundcover around a sculpture is turned a color to match the patina of its steel. Only a few things manage to resist the spell: Evergreen Hellebores and ferns on a slope retain their Summer forms while everything around them is transformed by Autumn's magic. Eventually though, the spells fade, as spells must. But never entirely. The Maples' torches gutter out, but reveal the trees' beautiful winter forms--the magic behind the curtain. A few late flowers refuse the disappearing act to the end. And a path winding through woodland, now made newly visible, still retains the mystery and enchantment of the season.