Rosa 'Alain Blanchard' & Hosta 'Forbidden Fruit' 11 October 2025

In Mexico my friend and mentor Raúl Guerrero Montemayor used to often tell me of one of his favourite songs, Autumn Leaves, which in Spanish he called Las Hojas Muertas. This was the originally composed in France in 1945.

I first met Raúl in 1967 when I had just returned from my military service in 1967. I did not know what to do with my life. He suggested I teach English and taught me the Berlitz method. It was leaving a school where he had gotten me into when I first spotted my Rosemary on 15 December 1967. We were married 8 December 1968.

Raúl & Alex - Veracruz, Mexico 1968

 

He was a huge influence in my life.

Today I scanned some fall plants and I wondered what kind of blog I could write using the scan as an illustration. I went to Google and looked up the lyrics in English to the song and particularly the version sung by Johnny Mathis which was Raúl’s favourite.

 Autum Leaves

The falling leaves drift by the window

The autumn leaves of red and gold

I see your lips, the summer kisses

The sun-burned hands I used to hold

Since you went away the days grow long

And soon I'll hear old winter's song

But I miss you most of all my darling

When autumn leaves start to fall.