Category Archives: The Intimate Landscape

The small details, shapes, and textures that catch my eye.

Looking Into the Woodland

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Woodland Edge
Heatherwood Fall

As our neighbors walk along the neighborhood road, they come across this view into our woodland garden. Fall color is everywhere. As I write this, the red leaves of the background maples are rapidly falling. Soon the neighborhood walkers will be able to see the bluff rising above the garden. Even after the leaves have all fallen, there will be plenty of color with the green conifers, red/purple barberry, white birches, and red and yellow dogwood shrub branches. In addition, the interesting textures and tones of the grasses and perennials will continue to provide winter interest.

As we developed our Heatherwood garden, one of our design criteria was to provide interesting views and vignettes from the road into the garden. Sharing nature’s beauty is an important gift that we can give. Visitors can enjoy Heatherwood’s beauty looking in as we enjoy its beauty looking out.

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Looking Out My Office Window

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Fall Colors
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

I begin each day in my office writing in my journal. The sun was not up when I started writing today. When I was finished I turned around and saw the early morning light on the garden outside my office window. My mind quickly shifted from scattered daily thoughts to just enjoying the beauty of nature in front of me. What a great way to begin the day ahead!

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Turn to the Right 30 Degrees

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Overlooking the Meadow
Heatherwood Fall

This image was created at about the same spot as yesterday’s post. I just turned about 30 degrees to the right. The Golden Joy juniper is still the star attraction. But now the background is made up by the flowing grasses in the meadow. I see pinks, reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples, creams, and multiple shades of browns. The color palette is full!

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Prime Fall Color

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Overlooking the Middle Lawn
Heatherwood Fall

Heatherwood is in its prime fall color this first week in November. Over the last week, the garden has been exceptional. We are enjoying every moment! Color is everywhere. I’ve found myself lost exploring various ways of viewing the garden and discovering small vignettes. A couple of days ago, I spent over six hours walking around the garden with my camera. Yesterday I spent four hours absorbing the fall colors. Later today I plan to explore a little more.

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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

Walking around the corner of Heatherwood’s Japanese garden path, I immediately am attracted to the fall color beauty of our variegated dogwood. I pause and enjoy the colors, shapes, and textures of the overall garden scene. The dogwood leaves and berries draw me in for a closer look.

‘Cherokee Daybreak’ Flowering Dogwood

Red berries pop out along the branches. Pink fall color takes over the leaf margins. It’s a pretty sight to see!

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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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Fall is Here!

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Early Fall Colors
Heatherwood NW Corner

Heatherwood is starting to transition into its fall colors. The maples are gradually turning color branch by branch. A little color from the yellow rudbeckia and purple Russian sage remains to provide a little splash of color. A few recent sprinkle of rain has encouraged the lush green lawn to put out its last spurt of growth. A few fallen red maple leaves sprinkle the green grass. Autumn is well on its way.

This little scene looking through the northwest corner of Heatherwood is one of my favorites. The planting bed around the flume is maturing nicely. We have added a few amsonia in the back to brighten it up a bit from the street view. The flume itself is a little bit of history dating back around 100 years when it was the new source of irrigation water in our area.

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Feeling Versus Reality

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Pond Abstract
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

I always have been drawn to the work impressionistic painters. When viewing their work I tend to walk away with a deeper feeling than I do with other forms of painting. As I photograph, many times I will focus on a scene and think this spot would be a great spot to set up an easel if I were a painter. I squint and try to envision how an impressionistic painter would attempt to create their art piece. Today, I decided to play with one of my images and try to create an impressionistic feeling.

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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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