Monthly Archives: February 2023

Warning!!!

“Late Winter Snow”
Heatherwood Meadow

Mother Nature gave us a little warning on this last day of February, “Don’t get too excited about spring, we still have three weeks of winter left.” I have been getting ready to start cutting back Heatherwood’s grasses and perennials. The temperatures have increased from the 20’s last week to the 40’s this week. Yesterday, I was out in the yard with my pruners. Luckily this is the last snow predicted for our 10 day forecast. And, the temperatures are predicted to rise back up into the 40’s. Hopefully we will be able to start our clean-up later this week.

In the meantime, I took the opportunity to walk through Heatherwood for a couple of hours this morning with my camera. There were plenty of opportunities to create images from a late winter snow. The light snow was a heavenly gift.

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Winter Walk #11

“Winter Grasses and Perennials”
Heatherwood Winter

Sometimes it is not color that captures my interest. This vignette portrays the primary contrast of tones and textures. The layers of yarrow and rudbeckia in the front and sides along with the Russian sage in the back surround the grasses in the center. Soon this vignette will be gone. Within the next week or so, we will be cutting back the perennials and grasses and cleaning the beds to prepare for the surge of spring growth.

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Winter Walk #10

“Winter Color Vignette”
Heatherwood Winter

This simple winter vignette is a mixture of color, textures, shapes and types of plants. The foreground of orangish-red ice plants form a platform for the round dense form of the dwarf evergreen conifer shrub. The densely packed brown spent yarrow details provide the backdrop for the vignette. Simple images capture my interest.

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Winter Walk #9

“Yellow and Red Twig Dogwoods”
Heatherwood Winter

Late afternoon sun spreads a warm glow across our winter Heatherwood garden. The bright yellows and reds of the yellow and red twig dogwoods are the stars of this image. The golden grasses provide a layer of contrast with the red twigs as the blue spruces in the background add a little color contrast.

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Winter Walk #8

“Thyme & Conifer Shrubs”
Heatherwood Winter

After two weeks in Kauai, it feels good to be back home in our Heatherwood garden. As soon as I got home, I had a cup of coffee then grabbed my camera for a little stroll in the garden.

Two months of winter has passed, soon it will be time to start cleaning up the garden to prepare for spring’s emergence. Winter color in the garden is still highlighting the landscape. The winter yellow color of the Wintersonne mugo pine contrasts with green of the Slowmound mugo pines. The winter lavender color of the Woolly thyme provides a soft and colorful foreground for the conifers.

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Winter Walk #7

“Yellow Twig and Others”
Heatherwood Winter Garden

Winter interest is not just color. The yellow twig dogwood blends into the winter colors of the Russian sage, yarrow, and panicle hydrangeas. The soft textures of the Russian sage provides a gentle foreground as the yellow branches of the dogwood contrast with seed heads of the yarrow and hydrangeas and the stems of spent daisies. Winter walks are always full of little discoveries.

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Winter Walk #6

“Looking Through Red Twig Dogwoods”
Heatherwood Winter Garden

Walking around the lower garden, I look up the hill through the red twig dogwoods and see the winter colors of the rock garden. The greens and oranges of the ground covers, the yellows, greens, and blues of the conifers, and the straw color of the grasses brighten up a winter day. Just a month ago, the ground was covered with snow.

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Winter Walk #5

“Center Pathway & Redtwigs”
Heatherwood Winter

Grass “pom poms” frame the sides of a curving path leading from our lower garden center circle to the side lawn and woodland, Redtwig dogwoods, ninebarks, and junipers separate the garden path from the meadow. There is a surprise around the corner.

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Winter Walk #4

“Winter Colors and Textures”
Heatherwood Winter

Today is Ground Hogs Day, the midpoint of winter. It is bright and crisp as I walk through the garden. It feels like spring is just around the corner. But, who knows what the next six weeks of winter will bring.

Walking though Heatherwood’s meadow area, I look up the hill and see a plethora of color, shapes, and textures. Contrasting browns, reds, oranges, yellows, and greens brighten up the scenes. The different textures and shapes of the feathery ornamental grasses, bare branches of the red twig dogwood, and various conifer shrubs and deciduous trees provide additional interest. Our Heatherwood garden sure is not dull in the midst of winter.

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