Category Archives: Flora

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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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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What Is Around the Corner?

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Path to Garden Bench
SE Corner, Heatherwood Garden

We do not have many cloudy days like this in Eastern Washington. Cloudy days make colors pop in the garden. Tones of green mixed with yellows, blues, and pink draw me into this little garden path. Where does it lead? Around the corner in an Adirondack bench shaded by a Wireless Zelkova. It’s a perfect private place to sit and enjoy a view upward to the garden and hills above.

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Looking Up Through the Garden

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View Looking Up Through the Meadow
Heatherwood Fall Colors

More color is bursting out every day! There is something new to capture my interest every morning. I need to get out and photograph every day. A little rain here and there coupled with wind knocks the leaves off quickly. One day our stewartia was covered with bright orange leaves. The next day after an evening wind, only a few leaves were left. The constant change is part of the glory of autumn. Each day Heatherwood delivers a new gift. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

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Look Down

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Shapes, Textures, and Tones
Heatherwood Japanese Garden Path

As I walk along our garden paths, my eyes are constantly moving. I look down and see this dwarf hemlock being surrounded and crowded by Japanese forest grass, low hanging viburnum branches, and a little Japanese variegated fern. What catches my eye is the variety and combination of textures, shapes, and color tones. When I stroll around the garden, I usually am not looking or searching for anything specific. I take the time to let a scene or vignette come to me and say, “Here I am, enjoy!”

Have a great day and enjoy each moment!

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Around the Corner

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Japanese Garden Path
Heatherwood Autumn

Morning sunshine flows through the Japanese maples and conifers along the garden path. The maples are beginning to transition to their bright fall color. The ground covers and green shrubs and conifers are holding on to their summer greens.

As I walk along the path I look side to side and enjoy the various plants up close. I look forward along the curving path and anticipate what is around the corner … next post.

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Blue Sky Summer Day

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Color Against the Conifers
Heatherwood Summer

The sky is pure blue without a cloud. The eastern Washington summer is in full force. It has been very warm with the temperatures in the 90’s. The summer perennials are out in their full glory.

On a day like this, the garden opens up its full beauty. It provides a beautiful foreground to the surrounding hills as well as focused vignettes like the one above. Strolling around the garden brings me peace. I become absorbed in the environment surrounding me. I first take in the panoramic view of the garden and hills rising above. I get a feeling of perspective. After a bit of walking, little things pop up before me as small vignettes appear. I stop, observe, move around, and sometimes take a photo or two. Many times I move in and just touch the leaves, needles, or bark. Each plant has its own feeling. Some are soft and fuzzy, some have sharp points and are prickly, others are smooth, others are rough, and some even smell really good. The confusion of the world around me disappears. The clarity of nature’s beauty takes over. I am at peace.

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Early Summer Color

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Early Summer Morning
Heatherwood Meadow

Heatherwood bursts out full of color on an early cloudy morning. An early cloudy morning is a rare occurrence in an eastern Washington summer. Colors are much brighter on a cloudy day than in full sunlight. Our meadow area is filling in as the original perennials spread. Over time the individual plants are spreading their seeds intertwining with their neighbors. This spring we had to remove many globe thistle and sea holly seedlings as they were taking over several parts of the meadow. It is a price we pay to leave the seed pods intact over the winter.

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