Saturday Wanderings
We met up with son Jake in the city on Saturday morning to have breakfast and just spend some time together. It was good.
After dropping him off at his apartment in Ballard, and since it wasn't raining, we decided to spend some time walking and wandering in some of our favorite places.
The Ballard Locks, or officially the Hiram Chittenden Locks, is one such place. We especially like the park/garden there. At any time of the year we can find something in bloom.
Maybe one of my gardening friends can help me identify this small tree with the gorgeous seeds/fruits.
The large lock was undergoing repairs.
There wasn't much boating business for the smaller lock either.
Lots of water rushing over the spillway.
The fish ladder viewing area was also closed for repairs, so we made our way back across the lock gates to the park.
Canada geese are year round residents.
A winter blooming viburnum.
Witch hazel.
A yacht out on the canal waiting to go through the locks.
Rhododendrons and camellias.
From here we drove north of Ballard to Swanson's Nursery. They are getting all set up for Christmas, of course, but it was the plant displays that really attracted me.
They really know how to use color and texture in their displays.
The reindeer have arrived for a little pre-Christmas vacation.
And of course there are poinsettias.
We arrived back home mid-afternoon, happy with our wanderings.
When I see your posts about your walks around the city, I wish I lived closer so that I could do that more often too. I'm pretty sure the tree at the beginning of your post is Clerodendron trichotomum aka Harlequin Glorybower. Those seedpods are pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteI love where you live and you are such a good tour guide.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, incredibly beautiful pictures of a lovely area. Those displays are magnificent! :-)
ReplyDeleteI love the floral displays at that nursery. Makes me long for Spring.
ReplyDeleteMore people should get out and wander around to see places and things. the blooms alone make things worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteI was at my daughter's place in Broadview, very close to Ballard, and went to Swanson's last month. The display area was being set up so no reindeer or plant displays yet, but I found lithops there! I never expected that because they are native to South Africa. They are weird little cactus that mimic stones and look prehistoric. You would think they would be available in Hawaii with our hot weather but they aren't!
ReplyDeleteYou have excellent nurseries in Seattle. It is a fun place to be to eat and play. However, it is a bit too cold for me so returning to our 80º heat in Honolulu felt delicious and I am still enjoying walking barefoot in the house.
It is indeed Harlequin Glorybower and we got a start from the gardener at the locks. It throws babies every year so a neighbor and a few relatives also are growing trees. We live next to a dead end and have a walkway outside our fence so when the apple trees had to go we planted a few of these so others could enjoy their perfume when they bloom. Do go back to the locks to smell them next year - they are late bloomers.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to be able to see such color this time of year. Here, I have to keep remembering that brown is a color. What interesting places you get to walk around and see. Loved the reindeer too. Am wondering what those large curlicue things are.
ReplyDeletewow so much gorgeous plant life to see...love the displays at the nursery!
ReplyDeleteWow! These are such gorgeous photos, Linda! You really do live in such a beautiful, green area.
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