Autumn in Seattle is usually something to truly look forward to. Summer sticks around until September at least as a way for making up for the fact it doesn’t start until August. A Seattle October is blessed with foggy mornings leading to sunny afternoons and cool temperatures perfect for pumpkin patches and honey crisp apples. Seattle doesn’t stand a chance against New England’s foliage, but there are still some beautiful trees in the area peeping out from behind evergreens to give residents the feeling of fall. Consider taking a drive to Snoqualmie Pass on 90 to soak up some rich red colors on the mountainside or just cruise down 148^th from Bellevue to Redmond and be dazzled by natures color show.

So why do leaves change color? If you have been out of sixth grade for any significant amount of time you may not remember the basics. Essentially, chlorophyll, which keeps the leaves green in spring and summer, is a pigment which becomes unstable without its daily dose of warm weather and sunshine. As anyone living in Seattle can tell you, the area is experiencing less warmth and less sun by the day therefore carotene, a yellow pigment is starting to take over chlorophyll and the leaves on trees are changing accordingly.

Some trees which are known for their impressive color changing qualities include maple, oak, aspen, sycamore and hickory. Seattle experiences (shockingly) dry summers which means many trees have to be watered to survive, but if you are interested in turning your backyard into a natural zone which announces the season change next fall than head out to your local nursery and find some trees to plant and start enjoying.