Akebono in Full Bloom
Heatherwood Spring
The white blooms of the Akebono cherries accent the edges of Heatherwood’s Japanese garden area. Two Akebonos anchor the eastern and western edges of the garden. A third shields the edge of the pond. While the length of the blooms are fleeting, the grace of the trees continue throughout the year.
Daffodils and Flowering Pear
Heatherwood Spring
Today is a time to pause and think about what is right with the word around us. It is a time to be thankful of what our Lord has given us. It is a time to be with family and friends and enjoy life. Happy Easter !
Pink Flair Cherries in Late Afternoon
Heatherwood Spring
Nothing is more beautiful than late afternoon sunshine raking across our garden as a last hurrah on a cloudy day. Flowering cherries are the main subject again in our spring landscape. Eight Pink Flair cherries form an allee border for our perennial garden. As the trees mature, they will form a wall of color along the garden hillside.
These trees are a haven for spring nesting. Last year, I counted around a dozen nests. Robins are constantly fluttering about building new nests. Soon the allee will become a hatchery.
Cornelian Cherry Dogwood
Heatherwood Spring
The Cornelian Cherry dogwood, star magnolias, and the forsythia are the first trees to display their blooms. They shortly follow the witch hazels in the sequence of color in our Heatherwood garden.
The first Cornelian Cherry dogwood that I discovered was in the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia. I had no idea what it was. When it broke out in bloom it lit up the whole end of the Arboretum. I had to wait fifteen years to have one of my own!
Okame Cherry
Heatherwood Japanese Garden
Strolling in the Yakima Arboretum, I noticed the bright pink of the Okame cherries in the flowering cherry collection next to the Japanese Garden. I just had to have one for our Heatherwood garden. This one, still in its pot, has since found a spot in our Japanese garden area. It adds to our collection of Akebono, Pink Flair, Kawansan, and two unknown varieties. We now have 17 flowering cherries that brighten our spring garden.
Blue Spruces, Flowering Plum, & Louie White Pine
Heatherwood Spring
Early spring has brought a plethora of color to our Heatherwood garden. I have been so busy working in the garden expanding a new conifer garden that I have not taken the time to photograph the evolving spring color. Over the next several posts, I will try to record some of the spring evolution in the garden.
This image shows the mid-morning sunlight exposing the flowering plum, two blue spruces, a Louie Eastern White Pine and an Ivory Halo red-twig dogwood. The pink and chartreuse provide a nice contrast to the blue spruces. This is one of the colorful vignettes that we see from our upper patio.
Robin in Cherry Tree
Heatherwood Cherry Allee
I noticed this robin searching around for a place to build her nest. Our rows of eight trees have been a popular place for nesting. I counted nine old nests scattered on the trees. I can imagine what is going on in the robin’s mind. “Should I remodel one of the existing nests or build a new one from scratch?”
Spring is right around the corner, less than a week away!
Multiple Late Winter Colors
Heatherwood Side Yard
We have been busy working over our lower southwest garden area. Our vision is to create a conifer and Japanese maple retreat. While working, I enjoy taking a break and walking around other parts of Heatherwood to enjoy the progress that we have made in the last five to six years. When I first moved in, this area was a lawn area with two Colorado blue spruces. Our pump house was slightly behind and between the two trees. Five years ago, we took out a big chunk of lawn and planted various conifers, shrubs, deciduous trees, and ground covers. They have matured to create a beautiful all season background for our side yard. Five years from now, I vision our southwest corner will be at a similar state of maturity.
Jelena Witch Hazel
Heatherwood Late Winter
The witch hazels are the harbinger of spring in our garden. They are usually the first blooms of the year. Soon they will be followed by our Cornelian Cherry dogwood and the star magnolias. We have already seen tiny tips of the crocus and daffodils popping up from the ground. Spring is just two weeks away!
Lower Yard
Heatherwood Late Winter
We are making progress on our late-winter/early-spring yard cleanup. The grasses are cut, key shrubs pruned, and the beds are cleaned. Now I will be pruning our Japanese Maples and preparing for our 2025 spring project. Spring is a busy and beautiful time in our Heatherwood Eden.