In a winter garden our focus changes. We find ourselves gazing at a micro world of moss and lichen that’s almost defiantly green, seemingly unperturbed by the season.
Textural black seeds, stems, fronds and leaves have a strange, rich beauty, forming a natural mulch underneath some dormant tree ferns.
We appreciate the individuality of trees more at this time of year. We’re more aware of their silhouettes when they’re just bare trunks with branches, without the leafy, quivering gowns that will soon hide a multitude of sins.
I paused to walk round this stately Metasequoia glyptostroboides, an endangered Dawn Redwood.
The sinewy reddish bark had bold streaks of green and verdigris; some kind of mould or fungus. I hope it’s not harmful to the tree. Redwoods are fast growing, so this is not as old as it looks. Like a much older oak or an elm, it’s already a community tree, providing shelter for birds, insects, animals, plants and vines.
Recycled wood is quite a feature of Ness Botanic Gardens. I liked the paths made from tree trunks and these upturned tree roots in the stumpery with their throw rug of black mondo grass. I missed the Wood Henge, as it’s a little out of the way in a corner of the Wildflower meadow, but I’ll try to call back in the summer.
Expect to see pictures of flowers from my visit soon, but today I wanted to linger on the things that the season lays bare for our attention: things I’ll soon be overlooking as lush spring greenery overshadows them.
Susan Rushton 
I love the colors in that first picture. Those are the colors that were in my bouquet when Drollery and I renewed our wedding vows on our 35th anniversary.
I love green bouquets.
I’ve never been a yellow person, but I took a yellow rose bouquet with some beautiful green filler in it to my mom’s grave in January, and the colors just grabbed me. Thus I am redoing my bathroom!!! 😀
That is a beautiful use of the black mondo grass. I’d never have thought of putting it into a woodland setting. I will now!
I’d say this was open woodland or the edge of woodland. It looks really nice when it’s edged in frost – I photographed it like that at Dunham Massey last winter.
Oh, I like these a lot Susan. Mindfulness food for my meditation where here in the Mojave Desert Spring is just beginning to burst out all over. Thank you. Blessings to you and to your art!
Thank you!
Beauty can be found in every season – lovely photos, Susan!
Beautiful close ups – can almost feel the texture.
Great textures and superb palette on the redwood
Now this is my favourite place to be. I just love this complex world in miniature. Living on Dartmoor each lane and hedgerow is full of moss, ferns and lichen. And most people don’t even notice it. Lovely post
You live in a very beautiful part of the world.
Great photos. Love the contrasting texture and colour.
You have spotted beautiful things to share, thank you.
Good choices. Brilliant textures in that mossy shot and the redwood is just beautiful
I was fascinated by the tree – I’m glad you liked it.
You write beautifully about flora. I haven’t read your other posts yet, but I soon will! & I wouldn’t be surprised if you write just as beautifully about other topics. Looking forward to it, and thank you for stopping by my blog earlier!