Strolling in my neighborhood the other day, I saw two trees with autumn foliage that I thought would have made the most compelling combination had they been planted side by side.

One was a ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) whose leaves had turned an iridescent gold; the other was a crape myrtle that presented itself in boisterous burgundy. These are deciduous trees that will soon be bereft of foliage, but even then, there will be something to see.

Ginkgo has a symmetrical upright growth habit and short shoots that terminate in knobs, adding an exotic touch to the tree’s leafless silhouette. When young, a ginkgo’s bark is alluringly smooth; with age, it is eminently furrowed. The ginkgo is also noteworthy for losing its leaves all at once. In December, its robe of golden foliage becomes a carpe

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