It's almost fall, and fall is prime time for Japanese maples (Acer palmatum).  Somehow the combination of brilliant fall color, swathes of deeply dissected leaves and the lovely, soft shapes of the trees add up to a wondrous whole that can be magical in the garden. 

One of the best things about Japanese maples is that you don't have to have a large yard--or even any yard at all--to enjoy them.  Some specimens, like A. palmatum atropurpurem, can grow to a mature height of twenty feet.    Other varieties are naturally smaller in stature and some are small enough to grow in containers.  With a little research you can find Japanese maples whose leaf colors change from spring to summer to fall.  Other varieties turn yellow in autumn as opposed to red or orange.  You can also seek out variations in leaf shape and growth habit. In late fall and winter, when the leaves are gone, the unadorned trunks and branches make lovely pictures.

Japanese maples are especially amenable to pruning and shaping, so you can tailor your tree to its situation in your garden, allowing it to dominate a section of the landscape or serve as a graceful supporting player.  

These versatile trees also tend to be somewhat addictive.  I know at least two gardening friends who bought or inherited Acer palmatum, got enthused about their many virtues and began collecting specimens.  Other than the gardener's enthusiasm, all they need is sun and ample water while they are getting established.