On Sunday morning, Ashgabat residents woke up to see trees begin to shed their vibrantly colored foliage. The wind was blowing the frosted leaves sparkling in the sun off the trees, making them dance to the ground and compose fanciful yellow and red patterns.

Mulberries were one of the first trees to lose their golden-yellow leaves. Broad-leaved trees tend to have tender and easily damaged foliage. Oaks lavishly dropped their wavy-edged leaves around. Maple leaves formed an ornate carpet on the lawns.

In an instant, all the parks and public gardens were covered with colorful velvety waves. This has definitely imposed extra burden on street cleaning teams. But how poetic Ashgabat is! Nature enhanced the city’s majestic beauty with a kaleidoscope of colour. It is truly delightful to walk along the capital’s alleys, hear the autumn leaves crunch beneath your feet, and breathe in the rich scent of late autumn with winter fast approaching.