Tag Archives: snow

Winter Meadow Textures

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“Textures in Winter”
Heatherwood Meadow

A key element of our Heatherwood garden design is to provide various textures and shapes throughout the four seasons. The stiff vertical liatris stalks contrast with the soft flowing grasses. These are framed in the bottom by spent seed heads of rudbeckia and the top by spent asters. The straw and gold colors of the grasses contrast with the dark browns of the other perennials. All together they provide an eye-catching vignette to enjoy on a winter stroll through the garden.

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First Day of Winter – Officially

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“Snow and Frost-covered Meadow”
Heatherwood Winter

Today is the first official day of winter. Winter came much earlier than its official start this year. We had our first dusting of snow in mid-November. Then a week after Thanksgiving we had our first substantial snow fall. We had another significant snow fall in early December. Heatherwood has now been covered with snow for the last three weeks. In addition, the temperatures have been very cold adding hoarfrost to our trees, shrubs, and perennials. It is truly a beautiful winter scene.

The image above is a section of our Heatherwood meadow area. In the spring through fall, the meadow is full of color and various texture. Even in the winter it has shades of gold, orange, and browns with even a little hint of red. We elect not to cut back our perennials to provide this winter interest as well as provide seeds and berries for the wintering birds.

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Winter Wonderland

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“Hoarfrost-covered Evergreens”
Heatherwood Winter

The cold temperatures and the early morning fog continue. The result is a hoarfrost covered landscape. It is 2:00P and still only 17 degrees. And, it is forecast to get even colder during the next couple of days.

The hoarfrost accentuates the beauty of the evergreens and deciduous Japanese maples that are still laden with leaves. It is truly a winter wonderland. The weeping white pine in the background watches over the smaller foreground trees. It is time to go take a quick stroll with my camera to create a few more images.

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Brrrr!

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“Hoarfrost in the Garden”
Heatherwood Winter

Winter is not officially here yet, but Mother Nature has a mind of her own. This week the high temperatures will remain below freezing. Mid-week is forecast to be in the single digits with the lows dropping down below 0. It is cold! I went out to do a little photography of the beautiful hoar frost on the trees and shrubs. After only a half hour I came back inside because my fingers could no longer operate the camera.

Heatherwood is like a dreamland with a light fog, hoarfrost, and snow-covered ground. We stand at our window and look out over the landscape admiring its beauty. Maybe tomorrow we will bundle up and take a stroll through the snow covering the garden.

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The Grasses No Longer Flutter in the Wind

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“Snow-covered Meadow Grasses”
Heatherwood

The winter grasses will not be fluttering in the wind any longer. A heavy 6-8 inch snowfall covered the Heatherwood landscape a couple of days ago. Grasses were smothered and tree limbs laden with heavy snow broke. But as soon as the snow had fallen, it started to melt with temperatures in the high 30’s. Heatherwood looked like a winter wonderland. The warm temperatures will last a couple of days before they drop back down below freezing for the highs.

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Winter Scene Framed

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“Snow on Lower Yard”
Heatherwood

Since this image was created, we have had two additional snowfalls and the temperature has remained below freezing. This creates a winter wonderland in our Heatherwood garden. I really need to get out in the subfreezing weather and create some additional winter snow highlights.

It is a little over two weeks until Christmas. If the weather continues as predicted, we will have a “White Christmas”!

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Winter Mushrooms

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“Snow Covered Yarrow and Rudbeckia”
Heatherwood Meadow

When I first saw this clump of snow-covered yarrow and rudbeckia, I thought that they looked like a field of mushrooms. Mary thought that they looked like a field of cotton. What is the purpose of a garden but to enjoy, dream, and imagine!

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Still Hanging On

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“October Glory Maple & Mountain Lantern”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

This scene is from the top of the garden above our “Perch” sitting area. The leaves of the October Glory are still hanging on. Last year at this time, they had all fallen. They make a nice contrasting interest against the white snow. The yellowish Wintersonne Mugo Pine on the right has not attained its winter color yet. In about a month, it will be bright yellow. Just out of view on the left side of the image is a winterberry holly. In the winter, the leaves will fall, leaving clusters of bright red berries. The combination of other Japanese hollies, winterberry hollies, and green and yellow conifers, along with the Japanese mountain lantern will provide an attractive winter garden vignette. We just need to give it time.

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I Just Turned 90 Degrees

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“Looking East”
Heatherwood Snow

I did not have to move far from the spot where I created yesterday’s post for today’s image I took a step or two, then turned toward the East. This image is looking through the northern slope of the Japanese-influenced part of our garden. For this image, I was looking for the contrasts of the snow as well as the subdued winter colors. Again, the biggest contrast is the vegetated garden against the barren background Selah Bluff.

The two red maples in the middle of the image are also a personal interest of mine. They represent a passage of time. The little red Japanese maple in the foreground-left was planted late summer this year as one of our newest additions to the Japanese garden. The larger October Glory maple in the background-right was planted in 2016, the first year that I had moved back to Selah. What a difference in maturity six years makes. It helps me visualize what the garden will look like in the coming years.

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First Real Snowfall of the Season

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“Almost Winter”
Heatherwood

Yesterday we got our first real snowfall of the season. When we got up, 4-5 inches of snow covered the ground. It was beautiful.

It is great to be retired. Instead of shoveling out the car to go to work, I grabbed my camera and strolled through the garden making tracks in the pristine layer of snow. It was a much nicer way to start the day. Snow plowing could wait until I got finished enjoying the fresh snow.

I purposefully set out to do my best to create images that represent the beauty of a winter garden. I focused on shapes, forms, residual color, and contrasts. Hopefully I was able to create enough images for a winter garden chapter in by annual Heatherwood Highlights book.

Today’s image focus is shapes and forms, contrasts of the white snow on the evergreens, and the contrast of a lush garden environment against the barren background hill. The scene is one of my favorite views year around from our garden.

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