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falling leaves - quotes and descriptions to inspire creative writing

• autumn breeze
• autumn season
• old growth forest
• the season of fall
• woodland walk

My God, the leaves. The fall leaves. The rain-dropped platters of hearthen-hue that fall into the unseen cushion of air, supported as they glide, then rest as one mosaic tile in uncountable many. Colours as nature's smiles. Together one artist. Each one a masterpiece.

Falling leaves, the floating platforms of such natural moments, take to the air in carefree parachute-glides.

Falling leaves come as the most giving divine moments, anchoring mortal to eternal.

Falling leaves, as gentle boats, ride air waves with confident grace.

Falling leaves as a nature-spun carpet bring the most homey of hues to the land.

The leaves in the wind are like sails without boats, carefree and joyful. Their colours sing to the blue of the sky and the green grass below. I imagine myself as tiny as an ant, riding one. The leaf would feel like paper, yet shine as church glass. My fingers would curl about the edge. Gravity pulling, air pushing and me just along for the ride.

Falling leaves tumble from the interlocking branches above, branches that grow so thickly only bright gaps of sunshine break through. As autumn marches toward winter there will be only those fine strands of brown in the distance and the sunlight will cascade to the forest floor unhindered.

The leaves come down like the most outrageously large confetti, everything from vivid scarlet to the colour of soil. They fall as if God had pressed some slow-motion button from the heavens, as if determined to savour the moment as am I. It's rare to see so many come down all at once and I can't think why it should be so. I suck in the deepest breath of the damp loamy air I can and focus on my hearing. I want to hear the moment they come to rest on the forest floor, the newest additions to the every changing mosaic below.

Falling leaves are the song I dance to in the woodland, the trees caught between beauty and solemn earthy tones. The air has a leaf loam tincture that is absent at other times, giving lady autumn a perfume of her own.

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37 of the Best Ways to Describe Trees Vividly to Capture Your Readers

By: Author Hiuyan Lam

Posted on Last updated: October 20, 2023

Categories Vocabulary Boosters

When writing about nature, you will probably need to use words to describe trees; to properly capture the scene or event. The easiest way to approach this is by using words to describe the appearance of the tree.

The appearance of trees depends on several factors including age, type of tree, season/time of year, shape, size, color and the feelings it evokes. You can also use words that focus on other senses like smell, touch, sound, and even taste.

In this post, we’ll be focusing primarily on what you can see. Combine them with other descriptive words as you see fit to capture the essence of the tree.

8 ways to describe trees that look strong and healthy

  A tree that looks strong/healthy is sturdy and robust. Its trunk is thick and its branches are sturdy.   It has healthy leaves and is perhaps a safe haven or home for different species of animals. This tells us the tree has a long life ahead of it, and even that it’s able to withstand a lot of damage.   These trees are generally associated with positive feelings and events when writing. Here are some words to describe trees that look strong and healthy:  

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8 ways to describe trees that look old and frail

  When a tree looks old, the bark may be thin and cracked, and the branches may be brittle and weak. The leaves may be small and yellowed, and the roots may be shallow or fall off entirely.   This describes a tree that is not healthy and is coming toward the end of its lifetime. Note that in “tree-years” this doesn’t mean a year or two- it can mean a hundred years from now!   Here are some words to describe trees that look old:  

How to describe trees that lose leaves during fall

  Most trees shed their leaves during fall (autumn) to prepare for the winter season. The purpose of this is to conserve energy that is used to sustain green leaves and fruit as rainfall decreases, overall sunshine decreases and the days get shorter.   During this time, leaves turn from green to shades of red, yellow, orange, purple and brown as chlorophyll production decreases (chlorophyll is responsible for giving leaves a green pigment).   In writing, fall scenes tend to represent melancholy, acceptance, tiredness, mystery, and taking stock of all that’s happened and is to come. These are some words to describe trees during fall as they lose leaves:  

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How to paint a picture for the trees that go into dormancy over winter

  During winter, trees enter a sort of dormant state. They aren’t producing new leaves and are instead conserving the energy they need to bloom in spring when conditions are more favorable.   These types of trees are often used to emphasize negative and eerie feelings. They also help to mark the change in season and can refer to temperature, sunshine, precipitation, etc.   Winter represents isolation, death, letting go, old age, pain and rest.   Here are some words to describe trees and their behavior during winter dormancy:  

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How to describe trees that grow new leaves in spring

  As spring approaches, trees begin to grow new leaves because the weather is more conducive to growth. Spring represents feelings of renewal, rebirth, hope, fertility, new possibilities, balance and freshness.   It is also a time for change, and represents youthfulness and happiness. Here are some words to describe trees during spring:  

  Trees are more than just background props to sprinkle in your creative writing. They can be used to describe emotion in the atmosphere and contribute to creating vivid imagery for your readers.   Use these words to describe trees to not only improve your writing but increase your creativity. Once you can picture it, you should be able to write it!