Fall Colours, Jellybean Row Edition
By Newfoundland & LabradorWhen you think of fall colours, foliage is usually the first thing that comes to mind. And while Newfoundland & Labrador certainly has its share of deciduous hues, around here we also tend to present our colours in a more creative way. From architecture to boats and stages to sunrises and sunsets, shades of red, yellow, purple, orange, pink, magenta, and blue can be found throughout the province's own unique palette.
As summer fades and the leaves turn, you’re bound to find inspiration through our own version of Jellybean inspired fall colours.
Architecture
The colourful rows of houses in downtown St. John’s are often referred to as Jellybean Row. This particular scheme is a historic one and features colours such as “Point Amour Red” with “Sugar Cube White”. It is one of the many traditional colour pallets which have been documented for preservation by the Heritage Foundation, and for good reason. The palette was inspired by the beautiful hues and tones found in the landscape and language of this place. Take a look at the whole gamut here.
Colourful houses and buildings are no stranger to the villages and towns along the province's rugged coastlines. Historically stages, stores and netlofts were often painted with homemade ochre paint and you'll still often see these vibrant reds dotting harbours, bays and inlets. The colours of the Jellybean palette can be found throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, with communities like Trinity being a prime example of the traditional colour choices and how they survive by careful preservation today.
Stages, Boats and Sheds
It’s said that in the early days, sailors – who had long been out to sea, when returning from the fishing grounds – would look up to see their homes on the hills. And, every now and then the province has been known to have a beautiful veil of fog, which is not necessarily the best condition for seeing your house. So, sailors elected to paint their homes in bright colours to make them more visible, to pop and shine against the cool grey backdrop of mist. Or so they say.
Of the same ilk, folklore has it that fishing families would paint their stages, stores, boats, skiffs and punts the same color as their houses as a way of identifying or branding themselves. The fishing shed is a ubiquitous part of outport Newfoundland and Labrador culture. In Cavendish colourful stages have taken on a life of their own as a photo opportunity and place of interest for explorers from all over the world.
Food
Nature’s buffet of tasty berries, mushrooms and picnic baskets full of homemade goodness all feature our natural fall harvest colours as well as their array of tastes and smells. Dotting the marshy grounds and coastlines are little electric-orange, deep blue, and vibrant red berries. Forests of lush greens house golden chanterelles ready for picking. Whatever your flavour, you're bound to taste local foraged foods at any number of local restaurants across the province.
Sunrise and Sunset
There are no shortage of stunning coastal vistas which make an epic backdrop for colourful fall sunrises and sunsets. As the sky's pinks and blues collide with the coast's warm earth tones, cool fall breezes help greet and end the day. Enjoy the sunrise first from Cape Spear National Historic Site, the most easterly point in North America, or enjoy watching the sunset on the west coast in places like Bottle Cove.
Foliage
While our colours present themselves in a variety of ways, we still get our share of foliage when summer turns to fall. The landscape takes on a rich hue of earthen tones of red and russet and yellow, lilac and green. The most natural aspects of the province may very well be the most colourful of all.
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If you want to explore the colourful palette of Newfoundland and Labrador, there is no better time to visit than the fall.
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If you want to explore the colourful palette of Newfoundland and Labrador, there is no better time to visit than the fall.
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