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A Central Illinois Tree Project

This web site documents the progress of new trees planted on rural residential property in central Illinois in spring of 2005.  The most recent update will always be on this page.  Visit the links at the right for the complete photo story of the planting days, removal of older trees and previous updates.

Fall Colors - November 7, 2005

An unusually brilliant explosion of autumn color has occurred in central Illinois this year, probably due in part to the summer draught.  I've been enjoying it by taking weekend road trips and only today have I gotten around to shooting photos of my trees.  None of the new trees are as colorful as mature specimens, although the dawn redwood is quite neat.  The pear trees have yet to turn, so I'll take pics of those later.  It has been 6.5 months since the planting.  Being that fall has brought moisture, I am no longer watering the trees.  I have never understood why owners of rural houses mow their lawns.  Early in the summer I decided to let mine grow and the yard has developed a shaggy look which I like.  You can see that in most of these photos.

These pictures were taken with my camcorder and the quality isn't so good.  Unfortunately I destroyed my still camera when I set my camera bag on the ground and then accidentally drove over it with my truck!

The Pin Oak in the NW corner of the lot.	A few yellow leaves from one of three Redbuds in front of the house.	Closeup of Dawn Redwood color.
Another shot of the Dawn Redwood.	The Red Maple directly West of the House.	One of the River Birch in the drive circle.
My moppy-looking yard with Black Hills Spruce in the foreground and Pears behind.  The Sugar Maple is in this photo but has dropped all its leaves and is hard to see.  I take the fact that it dropped its leaves in the fall instead of earlier as a sign that its still alive.	My large Tulip Tree in its color peak.	The Red Oak in the NE quadrant of the lot.