I just came back from a lovely trip to the mountains to check out the gorgeous autumn colour around at the moment. The liquid ambers were ablaze but too large for most yards, so if you like colour start small with a Japanese maple. The most popular originate in Japan, Korea and China. Leaf shapes vary from the typical palmate leaf (palm-like, spreading like fingers from a hand), to deeply lobed or ‘Lace Leaf’ types.  They are relatively slow growing and are the most popular choice for pots and bonsai specimens. These cultivars can generally be divided into two groups, the Palmatum group and the more ornate, more deeply lobed Dissectum group with leaves that are filigree in appearance. Of the Palmatum group some stands outs have to be ‘Bloodgood’; which holds its crimson foliage throughout summer,  ‘Kigiri Nishiki’; with pink edges to the leaves,  and Acer palmatum dissectum ’Bronze’; which colours to a beautiful orange in autumn.