Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Texture of Bark and Branch

The day, cold and gray, seemed better suited for reading by the fire and sipping hot herb tea. But the salmon tufts of maple flowers caught my eye and drew me outdoors to see what other wonders I had barely noticed.

Of all seasons, winter is probably the least considered when planning the garden. Spring is exhuberant, Summer is fecund. Autumn is rich. But winter is introspective and offers us hidden things to ponder. The thoughtful gardener studies the possibilities and presents them artfully.

Bundled up, I ventured into a garden nearby. Low clouds and mist muffled the sounds of the city, and it suited my mood. So I walked slowly and carefully noted the texture of bark and branch. Share this photographic journey with me.
















Acer griseum in blue.
Acer palmatum var. dissectum Tamukeyama (above).

The white bark of Betula papifera (above).

The mosaic of Cornus florida (above).


Netted bark of Liriodendron tulipifera (above).
The tabula rasa that is Fagus grandifolia (below).




Expressionistic Platanus occidentalis (above).
The reptilian texture of Halesia diptera (below).


Thorny Aralia spinosa (above).
Acer palmatum Contorta (below).













Liquidambar styraciflua Corky (above).
Corylus avellana Contorta (below).



















A tangle of Hydrangea anomala petiolaris against a tree (above).
Tracery of Schizophragma hydrangoides on a wall (below).













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2 comments:

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

A very nice display of various barks. I am trying to learn tree ID with more than just leaf shape and I know the barks are so distinct. I will refer back to this post often.

GoGardenNow said...

Thanks, Janet. I have a photo collection of colorful twigs and branches that I want to post very soon. None other than gardeners like ourselves will appreciate things so discrete as twigs and branches.