What a Difference a Little Water Makes

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Historic Irrigation Flume in NW Bed
Heatherwood Late Summer

Irrigation gives life to our Heatherwood garden. Without the water that the Selah-Naches canal brings, our landscape would be a dry shrub steppe area like what can be seen on the hillside rising above our home. This small section of the wooden flume that originally brought water to the area is a reminder of the canal that was built over 100 years ago. It brought precious water to the fertile soil for the orchards and farm lands of our valley.

We have had a continuous drought for several years. The mountain snow pack and reservoirs have been low. So far we have been able to keep our little oasis thriving. We are very conscious of how we apply the limited water supply. Over time, I am sure that we will need to replace much of our landscape plants with ones that are much more drought tolerant.

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Time Flies By …

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Heatherwood “Lower 40” – 2026

It seems like I returned back home to Selah, Washington from Doylestown, Pennsylvania just yesterday. It has been a little over ten years! The years have flown by so very, very fast. Throughout my life, we have developed personal gardens in each location that we have lived in. It all started from a little bed we planted with daffodils and tulips in Richland, WA. Over 50 years our gardens have evolved through eight locations moving from Richland to Seattle to Washington, DC to Kent, WA to Woodinville,WA to Doylestown, PA and finally back to my home town, Selah, WA. The journey has culminated in our little Eden we call Heatherwood.

The above image is from our patio looking over our lower garden to the valley and hills to the south. Nine years ago this was a simple pasture similar to our neighbors. Slowly we added lawn grass, multiple planting beds, and a lower patio. As plants, trees, and shrubs have grown it has matured into a multidimensional landscape. Each year we add a little more here and there. It is hard for us to believe how much things have changed from when I first moved in. The image below is what the lower property looked like before we started re-landscaping in 2018. What a difference eight years has made.

Heatherwood “Lower 40” – 2017

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Overlooking the Meadow

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The Meadow and Countryside Beyond
Heatherwood Late Summer

One of my favorite places to sit and enjoy our Heatherwood Eden is from our lower patio overlooking the meadow and the countryside beyond. I am at peace as I gaze over the waning colors of the meadow up to our neighbor’s freshly mowed pasture. The grove of trees on the ridge of the hill adds a spot of interest and curiosity. As I sit and enjoy the setting, time flies by and the problems of the world subside. I dream on what is right about our world rather than focus on the difficulties.

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Summer is Coming to its End

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Heatherwood Meadow
Late Summer

I’ve been negligent in my entries for the last six weeks. Where has the time gone? Summer projects and a three week cruise in Europe have consumed most of it. I am now back and will do a little catch up.

This past summer has been a hot one. Temperatures have consistently been in the 90’s even rising over 100 degrees at times. It has placed a lot of stress on newly planted specimens as well as our Japanese maples. The weeds have loved it!

As the summer is winding down and the temperatures are dropping down into the 80’s and 70’s, the bright colors of the garden perennials are fading. The grasses are turning into their fluffy browns. Seed pods of the many flowers are starting to burst open. Birds are abundant! Here and there an occasional last bloom pops up. Fall color of sedums, asters, and other late bloomers are emerging. Colorful berries are forming on many of the viburnums and flowering shrubs. Small apples laden our crabapples. Some of the maples are starting to turn into their autumn colors. Heatherwood is still full of beautiful colors and textures.

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Summer Is Upon Us!

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Cone Flowers, Phlox, Daisies, Yarrow, Russian Sage, Rudbeckia
Heatherwood Summer in the “Bright & Shiny”

Summer is definitely here! Earlier this week the temperature showed 100 degrees as I was driving along the road. The hot temperatures are triggering the summer perennials to burst out in bloom. We have to water the beds every night. The water is directed to minimize waste and provide moisture only where needed.

This vignette of color is in a section of Heatherwood’s Cherry Allée. Mary requested that the design criteria for this area was to be “Bright and Shiny.” I think we have satisfied her request.

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What Is Around the Corner?

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Path to the Perch
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

Our Heatherwood garden continues to fill in as the plantings mature. It is hard to believe that this section of the garden was a sloping grass lawn just seven years ago. Now, a gravel path gradually weaves up the hillside to the source of a stream and waterfall. Trees and shrubs have filled in to border the pathway. One can hear the rush of falling water but cannot see the stream. A new visitor questions, “What is around the corner?”

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Lost in the Meadow

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Daisies
Heatherwood Meadow

The summer garden is full of color. The meadow area in the center of the garden and the cherry allée are the stars of our Heatherwood garden in the summer. The blooming perennials and grasses provide an ever changing palette of colors. Things change daily as old blooms fade and new blooms emerge. Details pop out in small vignettes and sheets of color spread out as one looks over the landscape. Early morning is a wonderful time to sit above and enjoy the color below with a cup of coffee. Walking through the garden draws me deep into the small vignettes and individual flowers. It is easy to get lost!

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Windows of Interest

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Steps Up the Upper Level
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

A few days ago I gave myself a photography assignment to photograph windows that drew me into our Heatherwood garden. These windows include elements like pathways, hidden views, and eye catching vignettes. This scene shows a series of steps that lead upward. From the bottom, one cannot determine where it leads to or what is beyond the top. The various textures and colors of Japanese maples, conifer shrubs, ground covers, and rocks entice a visitor to explore and see what is above. A surprise waits at the top.

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I Look Out My Window and See …

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View from My Office Window
Heatherwood Spring

As I read the morning news on my office computer and sigh for all the turmoil that is going on in our country and the world, I turn to my side and gaze out the window. This image is what greets me on an early morning. It helps me change my perspective and think what is right about our world. I see the many trees that I’ve planted and nature has taken care of as they have matured. I look at the background hill and reflect on how it came into being. I compare the dry slope of the hillside and am grateful for the water that has been directed from the mountains that makes our little Heatherwood oasis possible. It entices me to go outside and mingle with the treats around me that nature has gratefully provided. Thank You!!!

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I Remember…

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NW Planting Bed
Heatherwood Spring

I remember when I first moved back to Selah, the Selah-Naches Irrigation flume ran across the base of the hill above. It supplied the water for the Selah and Naches valley farms and orchards for around 100 years. It was one of the highlights that attracted me to this specific site for my new home. Alas, a few years ago the flume was removed and replaced by an underground pipeline. I miss the historic scene, but was able to build a little tribute to it with this section of the flume and planting area in the NW corner of Heatherwood.

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