Midst of winter

It hasn’t been terribly cold this winter, but cold enough to keep the snow falling in the mountains. What a good feeling to look east at the Cascades or west at the Olympics and see whole mountain ranges deep in snow, as they should be. The last straggling leaves have finally fallen from the deciduous trees and shrubs, and the stalks of herbaceous perennials and annuals are fading to brown, ready to return to the soil and recycle their nutrients for the next round. Wander through the misty pathways and catch a fleeting glimpse of a raptor or one of the resident population of Townsend’s warblers, look up at the sound of crows and you might see a family of raccoons asleep in a nearby tree, or follow the scent of truffle or some other mysterious fungus hidden beneath one of our oak trees; midwinter visitors to the Medicinal Herb Garden have much to experience if they pay close attention.

Speaking of mysterious fungus. This is growing on a wattle fence post north of Cascara Circle.

Speaking of mysterious fungus. This is growing on a wattle fence post north of Cascara Circle.

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Pipevine’s (Aristolochia macrophylla) twining mass of vines are leafless but mostly still green.

I've said it before but I'll say it again, wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) is a better looking plant in winter than in summer.

Wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) spent inflorescence, now full of tiny seeds.

Snow berries (Symphoricarpus albus) could not be more aptly named. A native shrub yet no animals seem to eat their fruit.

Aptly named snow berry (Symphoricarpus albus) is a native shrub, yet no animals seem to eat the fruit. Supposedly, some of our native birds, such as resident towhees (Pipilo maculatus), robins (Turdus migratorius) and other thrushes, including the hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus) and varied thrush (Ixoreus naevius), and the waxwings (Bombycilla spp.) that pass through the garden in winter, will eat the fruit of snowberry, but you couldn’t prove it by me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dried vines of wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) . The deciduous tree at left in the background is the black cherry (Prunus serotina).

Dried vines of wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) . The deciduous tree at left in the background is the black cherry (Prunus serotina), a North American native whose bark is used to treat coughs. Three cheers for deciduous plants that add so much to the winter landscape.

Chuan dang (Codonopsis tangshen) still has fruit with some pigment though most have dried and turned brown. The mild weather is responsible for this irregular ripening.

Chuan dang (Codonopsis tangshen) still has fruit with some pigment though most have dried and turned brown. I believe the mild weather is responsible for this irregular ripening.

Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) frit interwoven with Japanese wild yam vines (Dioscorea deltoidea).

Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) fruit interwoven with Japanese wild yam vines (Dioscorea deltoidea). Unlike true bamboo which is in the grass family (Poaceae) and includes many genera and many, many species within those genera, heavenly bamboo is in the same family as Oregon grape, the Berberidaceae. Its red fruit, in large quantities, are toxic and even fatal to birds, but they go uneaten around here so I keep this plant in the garden. I’ll pull it if I hear compelling evidence that it is a serious threat to birds in this area. There’s so much else for them to eat in Seattle, even in winter, that an upset stomach or two after sampling these fruit probably leads them to steer clear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's already time for the mandrake (Mandragora officinarum) to wake up.

It’s already time for the mandrake (Mandragora officinarum) to wake up.

And the dwarf daylilies (Hemerocallis minor).

And the dwarf daylilies (Hemerocallis minor).

And something else in the family formerly known as Liliaceae.

And something else in the Liliaceae or one of the many families that have spun off from the Liliaceaea. Those taxonomists…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The camellias (Camellia japonica) on the northern border of section D have started flowering.

The camellias (Camellia japonica) on the northern border of section D have started flowering.  I’m not a huge fan of camellias (except tea, Camellia sinensis!) but they do brighten the winter days.

Camas (camassia leichtlinii) shoots already pushing up on January 25.

Camas (Camassia leichtlinii) shoots already pushing up on January 25.

Yesterday I heard cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) in the Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis). As usual, they wouldn't let me get close, hence the fuzzy zoom shots.

Yesterday I heard cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) in the Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis). As usual, they wouldn’t let me get close, hence the fuzzy zoom shots. This was their reconnaissance tree and…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was their destination, the cotoneaster (Cotoneaster racemiflorus). The fruit are quite bitter and I don't see the birds eating them until the middle of winter. Cotoneaster is a bit of a weed. The seeds pass through the birds and seedlings pop up wherever the birds' droppings land and there is bare soil. I wish someone would breed cotoneasters with ediblefruit. There's a lot of potential food biomass on a tree.

this was their destination, the cotoneaster (Cotoneaster racemiflorus). The fruit are quite bitter and I don’t see the birds eating them until the middle of winter. Cotoneaster is a bit of a weed around here. The seeds pass through the birds and seedlings pop up wherever the birds’ droppings land and there is bare soil. I wish someone would breed cotoneasters with edible fruit. There’s a lot of potential food biomass on a tree.

 

This is the time of year for filling seed orders and ordering seeds from botanic gardens all over the world. The middle of winter is a good time to plan for the future. Looking over a map of the garden and juggling where the new plants will go (if the seeds come up!) is a good challenge. There’s only so much space in a garden but…there’s always room for more plants.

The shipping and receiving area for seeds. Outgoing envelopes on the right await customs labels and then they're off to the far reaches of the world for a new life in some other garden.

The shipping and receiving area for seeds. Outgoing envelopes on the right are full of seeds and awaiting customs labels. Then they’re off to the far reaches of the world for a new life in some other garden.

Recently received seeds from France, Japan and Hungary.

Recently received seeds from France, Japan and Hungary.

Seed heads and seeds I collected in autumn.

Seed heads and seeds collected from the Medicinal Herb Garden in autumn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s the news for a quiet January. I hope everyone has some time and a safe, warm place to rest and reflect, sip tea and watch the rain (or snow) come down.

 

 

 

 

mandrake awakens

beneath the feeding waxwings

this midwinter day

 

 

 

 

 

See you in the garden.

 

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2 Responses to Midst of winter

  1. Ben Meersman says:

    Keith, thank you for your energy spent keeping up this blog. I love being able see what’s going on in the herb garden.
    -Ben

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