Interior of the Fragrant Hills Hotel, on the grounds of Xiangshan Park northwest of Beijing.  The autumn colors I had seen the previous week warranted a second visit to Xiangshan, and with new foliage in the hotel garden now in full color, I had difficulty pulling myself away from the garden long enough to see the rest of the park.  Consequently, most of this day’s photographs were taken in the garden behind the Fragrant Hills Hotel.

Berries on a tree in the garden of the Fragrant Hills Hotel.

Sugar maple leaves.  With most of my past fall foliage trips taking place in New England, these were about the only leaves in Xiangshan familiar to me.

The huge ginkgo tree in the garden behind the Fragrant Hills Hotel, now at peak color.

Maple leaves.

The yellow striped leaves I had seen the previous visit were now at full color and intensity.  Apologies in advance, but until I learn what they are officially called, I’ll refer to them as “tiger leaves.”

Berries.

Tiger leaves.

Maple leaves.

The last of the smoke tree leaves in the garden.  Most of the brilliant red smoke tree leaves I photographed the previous week had now fallen.

Maple leaves.

A tiger leaf not yet at peak color.

Maple leaves.

Tiger leaf.

Maple leaves.

The sun begins to set on Xiangshan, with the skyline of northwestern Beijing in the distance and the Fragrant Hills Hotel in the foreground.  This view is from the cable car ride to the top of Incense Burner Peak (known to the locals as Ghost Worrying Peak - so high that even the ghosts get scared).  The rest of these photographs were taken atop the peak.

Tiger leaves.  Because the shape is so similar to that of the red smoke tree leaves throughout the park, I assume that these come from a variety of smoke tree.

Tiger leaves emerging from green to gold.

This may well have been the last red smoke leaf atop the peak.  As mentioned on the previous page, visitors to Xiangshan tend to take the leaves as souvenirs, and they especially like red leaves since they signify good luck.

Tiger leaves.

A final tiger leaf at sunset.