Virginia Creeper

One of the most vivid manifestations of Autumn, or Fall, is provided by Virginia Creeper.

Click on the images to see  higher quality enlargements.

_DS77660_wpVirginia Creeper is a climbing plant, a ‘creeper’, a member of the Vine family, that in some instances can be found covering the entire frontage of houses or the walls of gardens.

_DS77665_wpThe colours change progressively to the deepest of reds. It is a magnificent sight. The two examples here today come from our recent trip to the Lake District. The first from the farmhouse at Lower Sizergh Barn (a well known Farm Shop), and the second from Sizergh Castle (a National Trust property).

About LensScaper

Hi - I'm a UK-based photographer who started out 45+ years ago as a lover of landscapes, inspired by my love of outdoor pursuits: skiing, walking and climbing. Now retired, I seldom leave home without a camera and I find images in unexpected places and from different genres. I work on the premise that Photography is Art and that creativity is dependent on the cultivation of 'A Seeing Eye'.
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21 Responses to Virginia Creeper

  1. Chillbrook says:

    I’ve been trying to grow one of these for the last five years Andy. Doesn’t seem to have grown any since I got it but I love the autumn colour these give so much. Perhaps I’ll get another couple, see how they go. I might have bought a dud. 😉

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    • LensScaper says:

      I would have thought it would have grown a bit after five years. I wonder whether it prefers a particular type of soil (thinking out loud). I would guess that the ones we see completely covering a frontage have been in place for a considerable number of years.

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  2. Jim Denham says:

    They are beautiful! There are a few places up here that have them and they look awesome this time of year – that red!

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    • LensScaper says:

      Thanks for commenting, Jim. I noticed when I was looking up about Virginia Creeper that it was popular in certain areas of the USA, but bizarrely made little reference to teh UK!

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  3. oneowner says:

    We have this in Western New York, too and it’s just beautiful, especially this time of year. Great shot.

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  4. Len says:

    Beautiful shots Andy. I particularly love the color contrasts of the second one.

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    • LensScaper says:

      Thanks Len. I agree – the brilliant red in the second shot contrasts well with the grey of the wall. I wanted a shot where the colour was not too overwhelming – hence hunting for a single branch…

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  5. One of the best plants for color this time of the year, especially as it seems to one of the quickest to change color. If you are not happy with the tones you only seem to have to wait a day or so before they become much redder and more vibrant. Love the contrast on the second image, Andy. The red stands out so nicely against the muted grey of the wall.

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    • LensScaper says:

      Thanks Mark. These two images were taken within about half an hour of each other on two different sites about half a mile apart and show the creeper at different stages of colouring-up. Maybe that is due to the direction it faces or other factors.

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  6. smackedpentax says:

    beautiful..I love the colours…well spotted and taken

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  7. munchow says:

    Really wonderful colours. And so different from one picture to the other. Beautifully captured.

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  8. Jim Nix says:

    those are beautiful Andy!

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  9. ShimonZ says:

    Love the colors of those leaves… One can see the inspiration you received from the lake district. I’m enjoying your pictures.

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  10. Virginia Creeper? I wonder if it grows here. I will investigate. I have a creeping vine fetish, I think, since I tolerate the trumpet vine on the pergola! These images are so crisp that I can almost smell the autumn air!

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  11. YES! Wiki tells me she’s native to a whole bunch of places including Texas!
    “…eastern and central North America, in southeastern Canada, the eastern and central United States, eastern Mexico, and Guatemala, west as far as Manitoba, South Dakota, Utah and Texas.”
    I’m onto finding a Virginia Creeper! Thanks, Andy! 🙂

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