Tag Archives: Heatherwood Japanese Garden

My Never Ending Journey

Path of Knowledge
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

I love to learn about life and the world around me. I constantly search out new things, ideas, and endeavors. My overall life’s theme is a never ending journey of acquiring an understanding of what surrounds me.

Japanese gardens are characterized by the placement of rocks and plants to symbolize a theme or an idea. As we designed our Heatherwood Japanese garden area, I attempted to create a few life themes. The one depicted above attempts to represent my overall theme of a path to a never ending journey of knowledge. The rock in the lower right corner represents a student just starting the journey. The additional four large rocks represent steps on the path. They curve up and lead up to the ridge above, and then up to the sky. I am a practical person, so I built a simple path paralleling the rock steps which is much easier for me to traverse.

Related Images:

Garden Design In Progress

Leave a reply

Stream & Pond Edge
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

We continually add young plants to our Heatherwood garden. A year ago, we planted two Japanese maples next to our stream and pond area. The one on the right side of the image is a Ryu Sei. It will grow about 4-6 ft. tall then weep down onto the stream’s edge. The one on the top left of the image is a Scolopendrifolium, commonly called a Fingerleaf Japanese maple. It will grow to about 5 feet tall and form an umbrella over the Yukimi Japanese lantern. Our design intent is to create a naturalistic environment where plants, rocks, water, and structures all blend together to develop a peaceful feeling.

Each year we watch how the plants mature as well as add a few new plants to fill in some of the bare areas. Slowly and patiently we enjoy how the garden gets closer and closer to our vision. Now, we will grab our morning coffee and sit by the stream.

Related Images:

More Infrared Practice

Leave a reply

‘Japanese Garden Waterfall in IR’
Heatherwood Summer

I am working hard to learn and experiment what makes an interesting infrared image. I look for contrasts that infrared will highlight. In this image the infrared pulls out the greens and yellows of the trees and shrubs surrounding the dark shade of the pond, rocks, and sky. The reflections from the water makes the stream flowing over the rocks and the ripples on the pond stand out.

Related Images:

A Morning Gift

Leave a reply

‘Yukimi Japanese Lantern’
Heatherwood Summer

I hear falling water and turn a corner. A flash appears beneath the branches of a Purple Ghost Japanese maple. I bend over and take a peek. The early morning sun backlights the falling water, reflects from the pond, and graces the top of the Yukimi lantern. A gift of the coming day.

Related Images:

The Bridge

Leave a reply

‘Bridge Over Waterfall’
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

Looking back four years ago when we constructed the stream, I recall the effort it took to place this rock over the stream. I took an experienced excavator operator and three men to finagle this huge rock in place over the stream bed. It consumed the good part of an afternoon to place smaller rocks as its base and meticulously position the bridge. It was worth it!

Since then, we have been planting trees, shrubs, and ground covers to soften the edge of the stream. After four years, plants are growing over the rocks down to the flowing water. We frequently sit and have our morning coffee here and enjoy the maturing scenery and listen to the flowing water and the birds sing. It is a great way to start the day!

Related Images:

Early Morning Standout

Leave a reply

Backlit Cork Tree
Heatherwood Spring

Our young cork tree stands out as the early morning sun backlights its light green leaves. The cork tree is one of our more recent additions to the Japanese section of our garden. We are gradually adding taller-growing trees which will eventually add shade to the Japanese garden. Even though it is now only about ten feet tall, it is already adding interest to the garden. Someday it will grow to 30-40 feet tall and gracefully spread shade through the garden.

Related Images:

Rocks With a Message

Leave a reply

“Path to Never Ending Search of Knowledge”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

When we first started designing the layout of Heatherwood’s Japanese Inspired Garden, I identified three stone designs that I wanted to include to depict important inspirations in my life. The stone pattern in the center of above image is meant to depict a pathway to a never ending search of learning. The bottom stone represents the “seeker”. The four rocks above the seeker curve upward creating a path to acquire knowledge. When reaching the top stone, the seeker can look upward to a tall bluff full of geologic history.

I see every day as an opportunity to discover and learn something new. It may be an element of nature, a new face, a new idea. It can come from an external source or from an internal reflection. As seen above, there is a well worn path alongside the rocks. My legs are not long enough to hop from one to another.

Related Images:

It Is Good to Be Back !

Leave a reply

“Goldilocks Japanese White Pine”
Heatherwood Spring

We had a great two week vacation floating down the Danube River, but it still feels good to be back home enjoying our Heatherwood garden. While we were gone, it seems like everything grew about a foot or so. This Pinus parviflora ‘Goldilocks’ sprouted out its new growth in brilliant yellow. The new growth stays yellow throughout the year until late winter when it starts to darken up. Then again in the spring it spurts out its brilliant yellow new growth.

Related Images:

And Now the Japanese Maples

Leave a reply

“Shin Deshojo Japanese Maple”
Heatherwood Spring

During the last two weeks, our Heatherwood Japanese Maples have been opening their leaves in a glorious burst of spring color. This Shin Deshojo graces our sitting area next to the pond. Its striking pinkish red color steals the show as we enter the sitting area.

We have another Shin Deshojo next our house. It has a story of its own to be told.

Related Images:

Spring Welcome

Leave a reply

“Hokkeji Lantern & Don Egolf Redbud”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

The Don Egolf Redbud is the early spring star of Heatherwood’s Japanese garden entryway. Standing beside the Hokkeji Lantern, they welcome visitors (and us) to stroll along the pathway leading through the garden. The Japanese maples will soon take over as the blossoms of the Don Golf drop.