The view looking south and west from the upper reaches of the garden, looking out past one of my fave winter-coloring, Colorado spruces, Picea pungens 'Straw' (foreground, right), out across Port Washington Narrows and Phinney Bay.
Yesterday was one for the books. While working on a book. Another one. This will be our fourth together over the last twelve, thirteen years. Early days. Still sorting a bunch of things out but this moved things past ‘talk’ and into, ‘do.’
I like ‘do.’
John does too.
Spikey blue, Abies pinsapo 'Horstman' is absolutely impossible to ignore in this bed of Cornish heath (Erica vagans),
Winter color in Pinus pungens 'Custer's Locks' is like a beacon. There are several different types of conifers whose colors transform magically with the arrival of winter cold, adding wildly to the interest of an otherwise sleepy garden of muted browns and grays.
There are at least ten different conifer cultivars in this image… So many textures, shades, sizes, colors, forms. And one of those pictured (Pseudotsuga menziesii ‘Albers Elegant Weeping’ Douglas Fir), was named for Dr. Albers by its discoverer, conifer expert and John’s dear friend, Sam Pratt.
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena' and its lichen friends
Hard not to smile after a day in John’s magnificent, Bremerton garden, studying and picturing conifers, heaths and heathers, witch hazels and wintry shrubs in soft, cool, winter light on a day when coats were unnecessary and the rains held off, spitballing ideas, swapping stories and teasing one another. Some might call us nerds and they probably wouldn’t be wrong, but in my experience, lots of nerds know how to have fun. Your mileage, of course, may vary. (John J. Albers, left. yours truly, right)
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Winter allows us to admire what is often hidden from sight and out shone by summers' blooms.
It is currently summer where I live in Wanaka NZ, but in winter our town can sit under an inversion which blankets everything in cloud. I love how this is the time the lichens and mosses say "Hello look at me!" It is their time to shine. They brighten up a winter's day if we just take care to notice.
Even though my feet are firmly planted in NZ now, your pictures tug at my heart strings and leave little inklings of longing for my time on Vashon. The PNW is a magical place. Thank you for the glimpses into its wonders.
What a stunning property.
Winter allows us to admire what is often hidden from sight and out shone by summers' blooms.
It is currently summer where I live in Wanaka NZ, but in winter our town can sit under an inversion which blankets everything in cloud. I love how this is the time the lichens and mosses say "Hello look at me!" It is their time to shine. They brighten up a winter's day if we just take care to notice.
Nerds notice! 😊
David
Even though my feet are firmly planted in NZ now, your pictures tug at my heart strings and leave little inklings of longing for my time on Vashon. The PNW is a magical place. Thank you for the glimpses into its wonders.