THURSDAY IN THE GARDEN WITH DANTE: THE SUNSET MAPLE

Today Dante is in the back yard again.  He is relieved that there is nothing untoward, and he can now enjoy the beauty of the colourful leaves.

In our back garden we have two deciduous trees whose leaves turn colour. There is the crabapple tree which has yellow leaves in the Fall, and a 'Sunset Maple' tree which has bright orange to red leaves in autumn.  The crabapple has already lost most of its leaves, but the 'Sunset Maple' is just coming into its glory.

"Dese is our twees", says Dante.

"Lookit da bootiful wed leafs!"

"Sum of dem is orinj, too!  I luvs orinj!  Its mai fafurite culler."

Here's what they say about the 'Sunset Maple' on the internet:

"The leaves of a red sunset maple tree are shiny green on top and pale green beneath in the spring and summer seasons. They typically have three to five lobes, and are up to six inches in diameter. The flowers are small and red, appearing in dense clusters during mid spring. Red fruit replaces the flowers in mid summer. Red sunset maple trees also have reddish stems and twigs, which provide a good deal of winter interest once all the foliage has fallen.

Red sunset maple trees are relatively fast growers, and can grow up to two feet per year until maximum height has been reached. The sap of a red sunset maple tree can be used to make sugar, but this is of a lesser quality than that made by sugar maple trees. In the fall, the foliage of red sunset maple trees turns a beautiful crimson orange, and is one of the most beautiful trees during this time.


Red sunset maple trees are highly ornamental, especially during the flowering period and in the fall months, but have lovely color year round."

"I haff lots in commun wif da Sunset Mapull", declares Dante.  "We is bof weddish orinj and highly ornamentull."

"Also, didya noes dat da mapull leaf is a pwoud Canadian symbull?", asks Dante. "We even has it on our flag -- rite smack dab in da midull!"

"Heer's sum moar pichurs, mama took of da mapull twee fru da leafs of da cwabappull."

"Such pritty cullers, doan yoo fink?"

"Uh-oh!  Dere's sumwun else who is enjoyin' the leafs in our back yawd!  He's got a two-pack snack in his pointy liddle paws.  Efurrywun wonts a fwee lunch!"

"I chased him, but he got awai AGAIN!!!"

"How hoomiliatin'!"

"O well!  If yoo cant beets 'em, join 'em, dey sai.  I'm gonna enjois the leafs wiles I can."

As the sun sets on Dante and the 'Sunset Maple', all is as it should be.  Seriously.