"Fall color" -- when you hear those words, the image immediately evoked is probably that of some gorgeous fall foliage tree, especially a maple. But maples are large trees, a fact that may put a damper on your attempts to inject fall color into your yard quickly, because:

1. large trees take a long time to mature, meaning they won't have much of an impact for the foreseeable future
2. and if you hasten the process by buying a tree that's already pretty big, you'll pay dearly for the privilege

Fortunately, it's not an all-or-nothing situation. Why not plant a shrub or vine for fall color at the same time that you plant a (small) tree? That way, the shrub or vine will supplement the meager fall color provided by the tree for the time being, while the tree is an investment in the more distant future.

What are your thoughts? Do you have a favorite plant for fall color? It could be a tree, shrub, vine or some other plant. Click the link below and let us know!

Nominate your favorite: Best Plants for Fall Color

It's pumpkin-carving time: don't let your fall porch be without a jack-o-lantern! Use these free pumpkin patterns for templates as you get ready to carve or paint your pumpkin this Halloween. These printable pages make it easy to trace out the precise face your pumpkin will bear this year -- with no guesswork on your part!

Related resources:
Celebrate Halloween at Work
Halloween Clip Art

_{Photo ©2007 David Beaulieu (licensed to About.com)}

When you think of fall foliage, you probably think of the colors, red, yellow and orange. But purple? Well, in New England, I eagerly await the fall foliage display of the white ash trees each autumn, because I enjoy the leaves' off-beat purple color.

In this article I also discuss American mountain ash trees, known for their interesting spring flowers and summer berries. While you're exploring fall foliage ideas for your landscape, also discover the unique place of ash trees in Viking lore.

Read article: Ash Trees

If you plan on traveling quite a bit this fall and have some flexibility in your travel plans, why not experience as much top-notch fall foliage as you possibly can? That's the beauty of fall foliage Web cams, such as these offered by Steve Nix.

Fall foliage Web cams tell you where the hottest action is, currently. As such, they allow you to adjust your itinerary on the fly and witness as much prime fall foliage as possible in your travels. As About.com's Forestry Guide says, "By viewing these forest Web cams, you will see how fall color is spreading and the autumn leaf wave is moving throughout North America."