FEATURE
Beauty shots While you’re out enjoying natural autumn beauty, target and capture vivid images of fall foliage in city parks and gardens, the mountains and countryside!
By Kaweka Stoney all is the season of change, and the Pacific Northwest is no exception. Washington may be known as the Evergreen State, but each autumn bring shades of fiery red, vibrant yellow and deep, rich gold. Fall color in the state of Washington typically begins in midSeptember and peaks in mid-October — color conditions can change daily. The display varies from year to year, the color and duration dependent upon the weather conditions. With the many varieties of trees and foliage, the leaves change certain colors as the days become shorter and cooler. The vine maple, which often lines Northwest hiking trails, turns to hues of yellow, orange and red. The larch and aspen leaves contribute shades of yellow and gold to the fall palette. Because these trees are often intermingled with evergreens, the fall foliage display in the Northwest is rich and varied.
F
Location, location, location
Pictured: Stevens Pass Road at Leavenworth on U.S. Highway 2.
Whether it’s a day trip or a weekend destination, there are plenty of locations around the Pacific Northwest to see the fall foliage — many right around the Seattle area. The Bellevue Botanical Garden is located in Bellevue, with 53 acres of display gardens, meadows, wetlands and woodlands. The garden is open dawn to dusk and admission is free. A hidden gem in Seattle is Kubota Gardens, open year-round and free to the public. You’ll love the compositions of Japanese maples among the fish ponds and waterfalls in the garden. Continued on next page.
5
