It is late spring and we are through with our planting projects for now. It is hard to believe that just a little over two years ago, this area was all grass. Spring of 2020 we started carving up the lawn and making planting areas in our lower property. We planted a few trees at that time. In 2021 we added several additional trees and started planting the beginning of an understory. This year we added several more plants to the understory. It is beginning to look like a small woodland.
We just added an Adirondack settee and now can just sit back and enjoy the evolving woodland garden.
“Southeast Corner Rest Station” Heatherwood Spring
We call the southeast area of our garden the “Conifer Corner.” We planted a row of conifers around the southeast corner of our garden to create a little privacy from our neighbors. Within the corner, we also have planted additional specimen conifer trees and shrubs. We added bright ground covers and perennials to give it a little pizzaz. We finished it off with a little rest area tucked into the corner. Many times after walking down to the bottom of our property, I take a little break before walking back up the hill. More times than not, I get sidetracked and wander into a little day dream. Sitting in the Adirondack settee, I look up and gaze into the scene below.
“Wide Angle View Looking Up the Hill”
You can see how easily I could fall into a day dream!
“Decision, Relax or Explore” Heatherwood Japanese Garden
Today I have two thoughts to share regarding this image. First, is my initial reaction to this scene when I created this photograph. The contrasting splash of Japanese maple’s red color among the various shades of green and blue is what captured my eye and enticed me to create the image.
Second, is the landscape design intent for creating this view. This point is a transition point. To the left is a peaceful private sitting area that overlooks the japanese garden pond and waterfall. To the right is a path that leads to an open area and the exit of the Japanese garden. If I take the path to the left, I can sit, relax, and enjoy the water rushing over the rocks into the pond. If I take the path to the right, I can continue to explore and discover new things beyond.
Here comes the color! June is the month for Heatherwood’s display of color. The ornamental grasses are growing, the perennials are breaking out in their spring bloom, the shrubs are flowering, and the evergreens are showing off their new growth. The garden is becoming a full color palette.
Our Heatherwood garden is comprised of several different areas. Between the areas we have created multiple transitions for one area to flow into another almost seamlessly. The image above illustrates how the meadow area consisting of perennials and grasses transition to a layer of medium sized deciduous shrubs and evergreens. The transition area serves as a background to keep focus on the meadow and separate it from a lawn and woodland area beyond.
As I make my first morning cup of coffee, I wander to our family room window and look over Heatherwood’s lower yard. It is a wonderful way to welcome the day. Today is the first day of June. Late spring is a beautiful time of year in our garden. In a couple of weeks most of the perennials will be showing off their blooms. Heatherwood’s peak color will be here in a couple of weeks. Welcome June!
“World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial” New York City
Now, on this Memorial Day more than ever, we all need to step back and remember what our Nation has gone through to establish and maintain our Democracy. We need to honor all who have given their lives to maintain our freedom. We need to thank those who have rebuilt our country and our sense of democratic freedom after attacks have been made.
Right now, the world is under attack by an autocrat in Russia who has ruthlessly invaded the Ukraine and who threatens to use nuclear weapons if anyone tries to stop him. Here at home, we are threatened by an autocrat who has denied the legitimacy of our election process (without any proof) and who has instigated an attack on our Capitol. On a personal basis, we are being held up by a gun lobby who will not back off supporting selling military grade weapons designed for the mass killing of people.
It is the time for us to stand up and bring back sanity and compassion to our Nation and World.
Nature constantly gives me little gifts of joy each day. As I walk slowly through our garden, my mind and eyes wander. Then all of a sudden something pops out and says, “Look at me, look at me!” Yesterday, I was walking through the garden looking for little vignettes of contrasting color and texture. Then all of a sudden these little red tips from a Norway spruce stood up and hollered, “Here I am, forget about all that other stuff and pay attention to me.” I did and used all that other color and textures as a soft background.
When asked why does the lawn have so many curves, I can come up with several plausible answers for the designer’s motivation: 1) he was under the influence, 2) he was creative and wanted to make a statement, 3) he was full of chicanery and was playing tricks, and 4) he loves to race his lawn mower through a challenging chicane course. For Heatherwood, it is the latter. I love to mow the lawn!
For many years, rhododendrons have held special places in our various gardens. Our first house in Seattle had a giant 10 ft. pink rhododendron guarding our front door. It came with the house and was the star of our front yard. We later moved into a new house without any landscaping. The first plants we put in were rhodies. When we moved to Washington, DC we fell in love with the rhododendron and azalea garden at the National Arboretum. And of course, we planted several in our new landscape. Moving back to the Northwest, we chose a home in Covington that was surrounded by rhododendrons in a woodland garden. A couple of years later we moved north to Woodinville into a new home that had a new landscape with several rhodies. During our 11 years there, we planted a separate rhododendron garden and also added several species into our back woodland. Then off to Philadelphia we went. Rhododendron gardens abounded all around us. And again we had to have ours as well. We had a large pink one like the image above along side our back porch. It was one of our favorite plants in the garden. Seventeen years later I moved back to the Northwest, this time in the dry Eastern Washington area. Rhododendrons have a difficult time in the dry, hot, and cold environment here. But they can survive if planted in protected spots. And once more, we have added several rhodies in our Heatherwood garden.
Over the years, I have so many happy memories of sharing enjoyment of rhododendrons with loved ones in various gardens located across the country as well as in our own personal gardens. They hold a special place in my heart.
