“Forsythia Tree”
Heatherwood Spring
This bright little forsythia tree was the first plant to bloom in our garden when I first moved back to Selah in 2016. A couple of years ago we added a Cornelian Cherry Dogwood to the garden. The dogwood now is the first tree to bloom. But the forsythia is still the harbinger of spring to me as it tells me that it is time to prune the roses.
“Spring Cleaning”
Lower Heatherwood Garden
The perennials and grasses have been trimmed and the first “spring weeding” is completed. It feels like we are ready for spring to burst forward. I give a short sigh of relief. But that will only be short-lived. We still need to prune the roses and a several deciduous shrubs that need some of the old wood removed. The irrigation system is scheduled to be started in three weeks, and our new spring planting material will be here in four weeks. April will be a busy month.
“Yukimi & Siberian Iris”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden
Today is the first day of spring. Early spring bulbs including the Siberian iris and crocuses are in bloom. Daffodil chutes are poking up through the ground. Their blossoms are still a couple of weeks away. The forsythia is blooming along with the first blossoms of the star magnolias and the Cornelian Cherry dogwood. All of the grasses and perennials have been trimmed. The garden spring weeding has been completed. We will celebrate the first day of spring today by pruning our roses.
“Crocuses Viewed Through Chief Joseph”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden
I got up from my knees where I took the image on my last post, turned around, and saw this vignette. Looking through the bright yellow needles of our Chief Joseph lodgepole pine I caught a glimpse of white and purple crocuses. It was one more opportunity to create the feeling of a warm late winter day. Spring is coming!
There is so much to see and enjoy in our Heatherwood garden. The images in the last three posts are only 3-4 steps apart. All I have to do is open my eyes and wait for something interesting to come to me.
“Lichen”
Heatherwood Winter
From the spot I took the image for my last post, I looked up the hillside and saw some interesting lichen on a boulder. It was another opportunity to let my imagination flow with my camera!
“Japanese Maple Leaf on Phlox”
Heatherwood Winter
I enjoy the little things in the garden. A couple of days ago, I took a short stroll with my macro lens just looking for little things of contrast and interest. I looked down and noticed a single Japanese maple leaf from last year lying across the new growth of the a mound of phlox ground cover. The tips of the maple leaf accentuated the tips of the old and new growth of the phlox.
“Front Yard Color”
Heatherwood Late Winter
Who says a late winter garden is dull? Even after a little spring clean-up, Heatherwood’s gardens present late winter color interest. The above vignette is one of several areas that have filled in with a combination of evergreens, grasses, shrubs, and ground covers. It is our intent to continue to fill in the open garden areas with ground covers as the trees and shrubs grow and mature.
“Tri-color Sedum Abstract”
Heatherwood
Sometimes I see something that attracts my interest. What is it that attracts me? Is it the color, texture, shape or something else? Or is it something completely different that I imagine from a different perspective formed from my mind?
“Last Year’s Grasses”
Heatherwood Meadow
By the time this post is published, this clump of grasses will be gone. They are saying goodbye until next autumn. We have held off cutting the grasses down through the winter. They have provided seeds for the birds and interesting visual textures for us to enjoy. We enjoy watching them flow through the winter winds as well as visualizing the interesting shapes they form when laden with snow.
“Ice Plant in Transition”
Heatherwood Winter
We have been busy with Heatherwood’s spring cleaning. During this time of year, I am always looking out for the little things that have started their spring growth or color change. In the image above, the ice plant is changing from its winter orange/red to its summer lime green.