If your yard is graced by fall foliage standouts such as maple trees, autumn can be a terrific season for backyard color. If you're lucky, you have fall color "waves"; i.e., trees that turn different colors at different times during the fall. In New England, I know I can count on the sumacs to provide early color, while the oaks, tardy but persistent, bridge the gap between prime fall foliage season and winter. "An autumn leaf color flow and wave model was designed at the University of Georgia to illustrate what leaf experts call the fall color wave," writes Steve Nix. Consult this article on the fall color wave by About's Forestry Guide to determine how your backyard stacks up.

_{Photo ©2006 David Beaulieu (licensed to About.com)}