Autumn Lake

The lake is a beautiful place to sit to see and hear nature

But more importantly, Autumn Lake is the lifeblood of all plants and animals in the garden when it comes to irrigation during the four month dry season, and all around water needs, except human consumption.

Autumn Lake is manmade and stocked with beautiful trout, a real head turner when they jump and break water.

Plant life around the lake.

A filbert nut tree, like a 16' bonsai, gives some shade in the summer, golden catkins in late winter, and snacks I find in late winter that have rolled downhill and hidden under embothrium coccineum. This plant remains evergreen for us, and produces brilliant red flowers in late spring, but has yet to bloom for us. Maybe this millennium?

Gunnera manicata, or is it tinctoria, or is it a dwarf form? I thought that a high water table to keep it's feet wet, enough manure to run me off, along with gallons and gallons of topical Alaska fish fertilizer, and more water would have brought this plant to Conan size, but no. So I bought another one. Just the right water. Lots of manure. Will this be my 7' tall giant with 5' across leaves? We'll see. But I've started my third site, with a truck load of sandy manure. Maybe I need a cow in there too.

Petasites japonicus var. giganteus, and 'variegatus' The white flowering cones in the latest part of winter tell me that the oemleria cerasiformis, "oso berry", the first spring green shrub is only a week or so away. Although they would like more shade than I give them, the petasites can take the sun. They will wilt mid day, but if you water them they are up again by morning. A slug's favorite. Protection is required.

Syneilesis palmata Broad glossy deep cut peltate leaves on top 15" stems I wait to see rise from the bed where they hide under PNW native menziesia ferruginea, "fool's huckleberry". Fool's huckleberry is an under story deciduous shrub thriving in coniferous coastal forests. It will thrive in full sun with late summer irrigation. It looks similar to cladothamnus pyroliflorus, "copper bush", in leaf and form. " 'Rare' can I find this copper bush?"

Two clumps of miscanthus floridus "giant Chinese silver grass" side by side give a tropical look at 12' tall. Four types of paulownia, "empress tree"; fortunei, kawakamii, tomentosa, and tomentosa coreana, add the large leaf effect, and early sweet flowers similar to fox glove.

Arisaema When I first saw arisaema growing in the garden at Heronswood, I knew I would have not just one, but in time... well, you know. I feel they will be a very popular plant in the future.

Dracunculus vulgaris has arrow shaped leaves, mottled stems and a beautiful huge tropical looking flower. I've placed it in five different locations. The largest colony is in Vinkenes,the Henge Garden, just because of what it is - a wonder of the plant world.

DracunculusVulgaris

tyrax japonicus, "Japanese snowbell" The white bell flowers, or the gray pendulous seed heads that hang with a droplet of frozen rain on them are like diamonds in a moment of winter sun. Which is more impressive? Underneath this tree on a lower slope sleeps a giant, a giant of a lily, cardiocrinum giganteum var. giganteum. I count the hours, no, the days, well, maybe the months, well, really the years until they will flower. Like seven years or so from seed. My bulbs are four years old, so I wait three or four years for a 12 to 15' tall stem with heart shaped leaves and 10" fragrant lilies on this Himalayan native. Well maybe a life-sized poster will satisfy until that dazzling day arrives in June, 2004.

Arisarum proboscideum. Purple and white spates with a protruding purple spadex. I colonized this on a high raised bed, so no one can use the excuse, "I didn't step off the trail."

Autumn Lake has many secrets waiting for the visitor with an eye for what is, and should always be.

Autumn Lake

The lake is a beautiful place to sit to see and hear nature

More Lake Pictures