Category Archives: Flora

Winter Colors, Textures, and Shapes

Plethora of Color, Textures, and Shapes
Heatherwood Winter
Garden

This small vignette in the lower garden has a little bit of everything. Russian sage and spent rudbeckia display blue and grey with a hint of brown as well as provide fine and course textures. Red twig, yellow twig, and Midwinter Fire dogwoods show a blast of color and texture. The grasses in the background are a break in the color and provide a contrast in form and texture with their flowing seed heads. The vertical conifer trees frame the image with varying textures and yellow, green, and blue colors. The dark green Mugo Pine anchors the center of the image and provides a sharp contrast in color against the dogwoods.

Later this winter the Russian sage, dogwoods, rudbeckia and grasses will all be cut back. In spring, new growth will emerge providing a fresh pallet of color, texture, and form.

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Looking Up to the Northeast

Dogwoods and Selah Bluff
Heatherwood Autumn

A planting bed of grasses and deciduous shrubs separate Heatherwood from our neighbor’s back yard. As we were designing the lower part of our garden area, we reviewed our concepts with our neighbors. We wanted to make sure that what we planted did not distract from their view of the bluff looking over our yards. This is their view from their back yard looking northeast up toward the surrounding hills. We both think the design has worked out!

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Fall Color in the Meadow

Fall Grasses and Perennials
Heatherwood Meadow

How fast the fall colors are changing. It is difficult keeping up with the daily changes in the garden. The garden seems to be a little mixed up this fall. Some plants seem to be peaking earlier than normal while others seem to be lagging behind. Right now, the meadow seems to be in its peak fall glory. The grasses are golden with a remaining hint of summer green. The sedums have turned into their autumn gold and orange. The asters are in full bloom with their showy bright purple coat. Most of the perennials have faded in color, but have interesting spent blooms full of seeds for the birds. Every once in a while a bright new bloom pops up like those of the red hot pokers. Throughout the garden the red twig dogwoods are displaying their bright red, yellow, and orange fall foliage. Every day is a treat!

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Summer’s Passing

Rudbeckia and Brandywine Viburnums
Heatherwood, Early Autumn

As summer transitions into fall, the rudbeckias fade and the berries of the Brandywine viburnum’s break out with their pink berries. I don’t have the heart to cut down the spent rudbeckia blossoms. I leave them for the birds to feed on the seeds. The fallen seeds spread throughout the garden to create new plants in the spring. We have plenty of of volunteers if anyone would like to transplant them.

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Summer Color

Color in the Meadow
Heatherwood Summer

The hot temperatures are back, hovering around 100 degrees. The perennials in the meadow are displaying their bright summer colors. The high heat cause blooms to fade fast, but new growth and color continue to emerge. During these hot times, the best time to be in the garden is before 8:00 am and after 8:00 pm. These are great times for morning coffee and evening refreshments.

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A Palette Full of Color

Summer Color
Heatherwood Meadow

Heatherwood’s summer meadow is like a painter’s palette full color. The colors are brilliant and constantly changing. They blend into each other creating a vignette that reminds me of a Monet painting. My imagination wanders as I envision how Monet might view the scene.

Garden Meadow
Monet’s Perspective

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What a Difference a Couple of Weeks Make

Cherry Allee
Heatherwood Early Summer

Two weeks ago, I posted a similar image with the start of our perennial bloom. In the time that has passed since then, the whole Cherry Allee is full of summer blooms. As the summer progresses, some blooms will fade, others will take their place. The nickname for this perennial bed is “Bright and Shiny”. It fits its name.

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Which Way ?

Lower Garden Path
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

Choices, choices, choices … which way do I turn? I hear rushing water to my left. I hear a plethora of bird songs ahead. I glance and see a dense packed pathway of shade loving trees and plants to my immediate right. A Goldilocks pine points its extended yellow branches to my different choices. Which way do I turn, or should I take my time and explore all three.

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Harbinger of Summer

Up Through the Garden to the Ridge
Heatherwood Late Spring

Bright blue skies, ground covers in bloom, yarrow ready to bloom … summer is right around the corner. Our Heatherwood garden is starting to burst out in bloom everywhere. Temperatures are in the 70’s approaching the 80’s. Summer seems to be coming a little early this year.

One of the driving factors when I purchased our Selah property was the surrounding ridge. It feels a little like we are in the center of a half circle amphitheater. Looking through the garden, the ridge stands above acting like a guardian. It is a wonderful backdrop leading up to the bright eastern Washington blue skies. As I gaze up at it, my mind wanders to contemplate the wonders of nature and what is good about the world around us.

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It Is the Time of the Year…

Path of Learning
Heatherwood Spring

It is the time of the year when something is changing every day. I have a difficult time keeping up with all the changes. This week, the pink ground phlox is reaching its peak as the blossoms of our weeping cherry are fading. Each year the plants cover more and more of the ground and the shrubs and trees grow. Just 5 years ago this was a grass hillside.

Our garden path curves up around the stepping stones of the path to never-ending learning.

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