Forest Bathing

On Wednesday Tom and I both worked hard in the garden. On Thursday we needed a change of venue. We needed to stay active, but only moderately so. We decided to visit the Rhodendron Species Foundation not too far away in Federal Way. We would get a walk in the woods, a "cultivated forest", and visit the Bonsai Collection too.

It isn't bloom time for most of the plants in the garden, but it is full of wonderful green things. 

Giant leaves of magnolias and rhodendrons. 

Lots of paths to choose from.

The forest floor covered with moss and groundcovers and ferns. 

Forest bamboo

Lots of places to sit, and I took advantage of them. 

Old rhodendrons

Ginger in bloom

Which way?

May Apple

Hydrangeas, species, not the fancy hybred kinds. 

Other wise known as Octrich fern

Nurse stump, with it's mossy garden

A later fruiting May Apple

All that's left from this field of blue poppies. We have been here to see them in bloom. They are very special. 

The Pond is covered in green growth too. 

Created some years ago now, the Stumpery stumps are almost covered now with ferns and ground covers and forest floor plants. 

Climbing hydrangea

Wonderful bark on the Stewartia

I'll  save the Bonsai for another post. This is way too long already. I just never know what to cut out. :-/

Then we went to find a Starbucks for lunch and coffee. After all, it was a "treat" day.