Category Archives: Flora

More Winter Garden Ideas

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“Yellow & Red Twig Dogwoods & Grasses”
Heatherwood Late Fall

In addition to color contrasts, structure, form, and texture are important elements to create interest in a winter garden. In the above image, the red and yellow color of the dogwood shrubs provide initial interest. In addition, the hard line texture of the dogwoods contrast with the softer grass stems. The upright forms of the grasses and dogwoods complement each other and tie this vignette together. I am starting to visualize the beginnings of the new Yakima Arboretum Winter Garden already.

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Winter Garden Planning

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“Winter Garden Color”
Heatherwood Rock Garden

We received a little dusting of snow last night, so I thought I would venture out and try to take some images that would show examples of what could be done to create winter color in the garden. In our Heatherwood rock garden, we have yellows, oranges, reds, greens, blues, and browns. Ground covers, perennials, deciduous shrubs, and evergreen shrubs provide the varying color contrasts.

We are in the process of designing a small “Winter Garden” section for the Yakima Area Arboretum. We hope to create an example that can be shared with the area community.

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Abstract Thinking

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“Ornamental Grass Abstract”
Heatherwood Late Fall

How many ways can I look at something? They are infinite. This image is a 9-layer multiple-exposure, vertical pan of a clump of ornamental grasses in our garden. I enjoy looking at the world around us from multiple, sometimes abstract, perspectives. It helps me develop a balanced view of life that I would have never considered if I would have approached it from only one conventional angle. It also helps me come up with some creative images.

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Fourth Layer

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“Lavender and Grasses”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

We have designed the stream and waterfall section of our Heatherwood Japanese garden in five distinct layers. Starting at the bottom of the hillside looking up at the bluff above, the foreground layer transitions from a sitting area with a bed of spring Siberian iris covered with kinnikinnick. This layer flows into the pond and two waterfalls which comprises the second layer. The third layer is the wandering stream and Kotoji Japanese lantern. The fourth layer is a buffer of lavender and grasses shown in the image above. This buffer layer separates the Japanese garden from the final background layer of the sagebrush covered bluff above.

We frequently sit and relax gazing up through the pond, stream, and hillside on sunny afternoons throughout the year. It is a nice place to catch the late afternoon sun even in late fall.

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Soft

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“Late Fall Softness”
Heatherwood Meadow

At this time of the year, there is a warm softness through our Heatherwood meadow. The warm colors blend together into soft yellow-brown hues. The spent flowers and grasses merge together into a homogenous mass to the eye. The autumn plumes of the ornamental grasses are soft to touch. Gentle breezes blur the grasses and flowers together on a warm sunny late fall afternoon.

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It Is Still Fall After All

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“Rock Garden Path”
Heatherwood Fall

Last Friday morning, I went out for what I planned as a short stroll through our garden. Three hours later I came in for lunch. Late fall sunlight is beautiful across the Heatherwood landscape. I just kept wandering through the garden waiting for the next image to appear.

Heatherwood is still full of color, even after all the leaves have fallen from the trees. As winter approaches (snow is predicted this coming week), the colors still decorate our rock garden hillside. They will remain until next spring when the ground covers will transition back to their rich greens and the conifers loose their yellowish tinge.

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A Beautiful Gift

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“Late Afternoon Sunlight”
Heatherwood Rose Garden

It was a beautiful late autumn day. The sun was just about ready to fall behind the western hills. I was out strolling through the garden enjoying the warm sun and beautiful light shining across our Heatherwood lower garden. The last rays were caressing one of the late roses. It stood up beconing me to pay attention and photograph it. I made one image, then the sun dropped below the hill and the light was gone. What a wonderful gift to end the day!

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Play and Experiment

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“Thistle”
Heatherwood Late Fall

The best way to learn is to just do it, experiment and play. I just got a new Lensbaby lens to add to my arsenal of tools for macro photography. After watching several videos on using the Lensbaby by other photographers, I came away with the bottom line tip, “Put the lens on your camera for several weeks, and just go out, play, and experiment.” This image is one of my first experiments.

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Do You Believe It Is December?

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“December Rose”
Heatherwood Late Autumn

The roses are still blooming. It is hard to believe it is December! We deadheaded the roses late this year in mid-October. As a result, the roses didn’t get the message to stop putting out new growth and flower buds. We still have several emerging flower buds and new leaves on our roses. With the warm weather forecast, I predict that we will still have new roses blooming through mid-December.

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Browns and Golds of Autumn

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“Grass, Hydrangea, and Yellow Twig”
Heatherwood Late Fall

At times bright contrasts catch my eye. Other times a blend of subtle colors differences catch my eye. The browns and golds with their textural contrasts drew me to this vignette. As I walk around Heatherwood, I see various “pieces of art” scattered around the garden. They are always changing. Never do I see them the same way.

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