Tree Following December 2017 - the Last Leaves

Quince trees are without doubt great trees.  Whilst it is possible to say they might not be the greatest of trees for fruit, nonetheless, they are great trees.  Things to enjoy about these trees are their tendency to be one of the earliest trees to leaf up in my garden and also one of the latest to lose all their leaves.
Quince Major is hanging on to its last leaf.
On the gray winter day I took these photographs, Quince Major was hanging on to its last leaf.  Flag-like it signals to the rest of the garden it is not quite bowing to winter yet.
Meanwhile at the tips of its branches, the buds are protecting the new growth from the bitter cold.  Inside next year's growth it waiting to emerge.  Inside next year's quincelets are pre-forming.  Inside the secret to the quest for a quince 2018 is waiting for its moment to delight (or disappoint....).
A few strides away is Quince Minor,
who quite frankly has a bit blighty looking this year and did not even produce any blossom to speak of.  A late frost hit it hard and it never really recovered.
I peer at the buds forming and hope they too will develop well in the new year.  Quince Minor has now been planted for over a year and so I expect it to mature into the garden more next year.
Thanks to Squirrelbasket  for hosting this small forest of followed trees.