By Marvin N. Miller
AIB President

Fall is my favorite time of the year. Being an avid gardener, bicyclist, and nature photographer, I like being outdoors year-round. (As a sign in a bicycle shop I frequent says, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.”) But autumn is a special time of the year, as it is when nature puts on her grand show.

I am lucky when it comes to fall. Not far from where I live is the Morton Arboretum, in Lisle, Illinois. The tree collection at the arboretum is quite grand, and the colors that nature displays are not to be missed. Each fall I find myself driving the arboretum’s various loops repeatedly, with my windows down and sunroof open, drinking in as much of the autumn splendor as nature will allow. I might do some hiking, too, if time allows, but I can be quite content just breathing in the crisp autumn air. I always look forward to visiting the arboretum, but I especially look forward to my fall visits.

I am not alone. October is the arboretum’s busiest month of the year. It gets so crowded that one might assume a burlesque show is being performed and people are lining up to see the performer’s physique in the buff. Ironically, that’s not too far off the mark. When nature drops her chlorophyll clothing to reveal the other pigments that have been hiding in the leaves all along, the anthocyanins and carotenoids take over unabashed. It is as if an orchestra has begun to play the concerto it has been practicing for the past year.

If you are fortunate enough to live as close to an arboretum as I, you know of the splendor to which I refer. But if you are close to a national forest or park, these, too, may provide an autumnal respite. I encourage all to get out and enjoy nature at her fullest glory. Check with local garden centers or farm markets to see if they are sponsoring events for family fun, as many will include corn mazes, hayrides, spook houses, and more in their fall lineups.

Autumn is also a great time to invest in a little fall color of your own. Fall is perfectly suited for planting most trees or shrubs. If you see a tree which has the color you favor, try taking a leaf to a local garden center and matching it to a plant you can call your very own. While there, consider picking up some garden mums or even some cabbage and kale, for these, too, provide the tremendous value of immediate color. And for a really great investment, in most parts of the country you can plant pansies or violas, which will provide color not only this fall but throughout the winter and into next spring. I know my recently planted pansies are already looking quite gorgeous.

Enjoy the autumn and all that nature has to offer!