Category Archives: Flora

Winter Textures

Leave a reply

“Winter Yarrow and Grasses”
Heatherwood Meadow

There is always something to see and photograph in the garden. Something as simple as the varying textures of spent yarrow and grasses make me stop and click the shutter. It happened in our garden over 16 thousand times last year!

Now I am paying the price of sorting through and picking the “keepers.” Each year I have been making a “Heatherwood Highlights” photo book. I am in that process right now and have to reduce my 16-plus thousand images down to about 300. I have been working on the project for about a month and am down to around 600. It hurts me each time I through one out. I have a lot more blood to give to reach my target. Wish me luck!

Related Images:

200507_LongExp_WtrFall__Kotoji 200506_LongExp_WtrFall_1

Winter Meadow Textures

Leave a reply

“Textures in Winter”
Heatherwood Meadow

A key element of our Heatherwood garden design is to provide various textures and shapes throughout the four seasons. The stiff vertical liatris stalks contrast with the soft flowing grasses. These are framed in the bottom by spent seed heads of rudbeckia and the top by spent asters. The straw and gold colors of the grasses contrast with the dark browns of the other perennials. All together they provide an eye-catching vignette to enjoy on a winter stroll through the garden.

Related Images:

First Day of Winter – Officially

Leave a reply

“Snow and Frost-covered Meadow”
Heatherwood Winter

Today is the first official day of winter. Winter came much earlier than its official start this year. We had our first dusting of snow in mid-November. Then a week after Thanksgiving we had our first substantial snow fall. We had another significant snow fall in early December. Heatherwood has now been covered with snow for the last three weeks. In addition, the temperatures have been very cold adding hoarfrost to our trees, shrubs, and perennials. It is truly a beautiful winter scene.

The image above is a section of our Heatherwood meadow area. In the spring through fall, the meadow is full of color and various texture. Even in the winter it has shades of gold, orange, and browns with even a little hint of red. We elect not to cut back our perennials to provide this winter interest as well as provide seeds and berries for the wintering birds.

Related Images:

I Love the Autumn Color

Leave a reply

“Lower Lawn”
Heatherwood Autumn

Our autumn color is changing so fast. Last night the temperature dropped down into the mid-20’s. This morning, two of three of our ginkgos dropped all their leaves. We have one left that still has not turned yellow yet. For the next several days, I will need to photograph both in the morning and in the afternoon to create a record of our fall garden.

Related Images:

200507_LongExp_WtrFall__Kotoji 200506_LongExp_WtrFall_1

A Nice Diversion

Leave a reply

“The Path Around the House”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

This little path leads from our back patio to the front entryway of our house. It is always a nice little diversion to walk along. In the morning, light softly filters through the trees to the path. The backlit leaves are stunning. On a summer afternoon, the area is in shade. It is one of the few areas in Heatherwood where we can grow shade plants.

This area is where I first started developing a little Japanese inspired garden. The dark purple Japanese maple in the upper left is the first tree I planted when I moved back to Selah in 2016. The next year, we started work on the surrounding area, building the path and adding a few trees along it. Each subsequent year, we have added a little more. We are now at the stage where we need to do a little transplanting to optimize the design as well as add a few more shade plants as the trees grow and provide more shade. A garden is never finished!

Related Images:

The Emerging Star

Leave a reply

“Purple Aster”
Heatherwood Meadow

The purple asters are at their peak. They are the emerging star in our Heatherwood meadow. Here they contrast with the golds and yellows of the daylilies, sedum, and yarrow. The bees have found them and are swarming all over. They are the last plants to bloom in the meadow. Soon, the bees will start their winter hibernation.

Related Images:

Early Fall Color

Leave a reply

“Early Morning Sunlight”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

The color is starting to change in our Heatherwood garden. The early morning sunlight brightens up the colorful leaves. Every day brings a change in the colors. For the next several weeks I will be out in the garden continuously. Every day presents a gift of something new.

Related Images:

Filling In

Leave a reply

“Two Zelkovas”
Heatherwood Summer

Four years ago this area was a pasture of grass and weeds. The house and garage below was clearly visible. It is amazing how a few trees, shrubs, perennials, and grass can change the scene. The lawn grass was planted three years ago. The trees and most of the shrubs and perennials were planted two years ago. Several fill in perennials were planted last year. This year we have just sat back and enjoyed this part of Heatherwood.

In the years ahead, the two Zelkova trees will grow and form a natural canopy and “tunnel” between the two planting beds. The trees in the background will get taller and entirely block our neighbor’s garage. The shrubs, ornamental grasses, and perennials will fill in and continue to add color and interest. For now, we sit back and enjoy!

Related Images:

200507_LongExp_WtrFall__Kotoji 200506_LongExp_WtrFall_1

Balanced and Framed

Leave a reply

“Grasses, Joe Pye Weed, and Coreopsis”
Heatherwood Meadow

There are many little vignettes in Heatherwood’s summer meadow. I constantly walk though the garden and discover a new perspectives of note. In this little scene, the two tall Karl Forester grasses in the back and the two blue oat grasses on the sides frame in the row of yellow coreopsis in the front and the row of pink Joe Pye weed in the center. The scene is naturally balanced.

Related Images: