Photos: Contorta Willow
Jan. 10th, 2026 05:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmith posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
common_natureI took some pictures yesterday but didn't have time to upload and post them until today. The night before, a windstorm blew down the contorta willow sapling that used to stand between the house yard and the south lot, near the big maple tree.
The contorta willow, which died a few years ago, has fallen down. I'm mulling over what to plant in its stead -- possibly a contorta hazelnut or other specimen tree, if not that then probably some sort of oak for its sheer wildlife value.
A side view shows how long it is.
As the roots had largely rotted away, the base came out of the ground during a windstorm.
The middle has some nice twists and bends. Some of this might be good for crafts. I've contemplated making a unicorn staff and/or wand.
The upper twigs are twistier but also more fragile. I may save some for ritual fires, as willow is a sacred wood and the spiral structure adds more energy.
Irises and other bulbs under the maple tree have green leaves. That other kind might be grape hyacinth as it lacks the stripes of crocus. We've had a few cold snaps and snows, but the winter has been so mild that cold-hardy things are still green.
More irises appear in the purple-and-white garden.
Pinks are growing in this pot. Sometimes they have bits of green all winter now. I should see about getting some established in bigger pots like this, because they bloom earlier if they're not transplanted.
The garden shed stands near the east edge of the south lot.
The new picnic table garden and septic garden stand near the west end of the south lot.
This tuft of Egyptian Walking Onions is growing in a large pot. A type of perennial allium, they are popular in permaculture gardens.
These Egyptian Walking Onions are growing in the ground.
Birds have been pecking the seeds out of this sunflower head. In fall, I harvested a lot of seeds to save, but I didn't take all of them. The birds have long since denuded leftover seedheads of zinnia, echinacea, goldenrod, sunchoke, and most other flowers.
This black walnut has been chewed open, probably by a squirrel. They leave the pieces everywhere.
Tulips and columbines are sprouting in the tulip bed.
The goddess garden -- minus its goddess statue -- is just a faint ring at this time of year, but you can see some of the thyme poking up with tiny green leaves.
The contorta willow, which died a few years ago, has fallen down. I'm mulling over what to plant in its stead -- possibly a contorta hazelnut or other specimen tree, if not that then probably some sort of oak for its sheer wildlife value.
A side view shows how long it is.
As the roots had largely rotted away, the base came out of the ground during a windstorm.
The middle has some nice twists and bends. Some of this might be good for crafts. I've contemplated making a unicorn staff and/or wand.
The upper twigs are twistier but also more fragile. I may save some for ritual fires, as willow is a sacred wood and the spiral structure adds more energy.
Irises and other bulbs under the maple tree have green leaves. That other kind might be grape hyacinth as it lacks the stripes of crocus. We've had a few cold snaps and snows, but the winter has been so mild that cold-hardy things are still green.
More irises appear in the purple-and-white garden.
Pinks are growing in this pot. Sometimes they have bits of green all winter now. I should see about getting some established in bigger pots like this, because they bloom earlier if they're not transplanted.
The garden shed stands near the east edge of the south lot.
The new picnic table garden and septic garden stand near the west end of the south lot.
This tuft of Egyptian Walking Onions is growing in a large pot. A type of perennial allium, they are popular in permaculture gardens.
These Egyptian Walking Onions are growing in the ground.
Birds have been pecking the seeds out of this sunflower head. In fall, I harvested a lot of seeds to save, but I didn't take all of them. The birds have long since denuded leftover seedheads of zinnia, echinacea, goldenrod, sunchoke, and most other flowers.
This black walnut has been chewed open, probably by a squirrel. They leave the pieces everywhere.
Tulips and columbines are sprouting in the tulip bed.
The goddess garden -- minus its goddess statue -- is just a faint ring at this time of year, but you can see some of the thyme poking up with tiny green leaves.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-11 02:04 am (UTC)(Mind if I wrangle your tags for redundancy? “death as part of nature” is an existing tag.”)
Thoughts
Date: 2026-01-11 02:56 am (UTC)You're welcome! I often fling around extra vocabulary. The adjective is normally "contorted," meaning twisted, but the thing was sold as Contorta Willow so that's what I call it. Variations of the term also appear in scientific names of several tree species, where again, it basically means "twisted growth pattern."
>> (Mind if I wrangle your tags for redundancy? “death as part of nature” is an existing tag.”) <<
Go ahead. I was trying to use that previous tag, but computers often misfire around me. :/ There's a lot of redundancy in tags here already, so I try to use what's relevant without making matters worse.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-11 10:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-01-11 10:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-01-11 11:57 am (UTC)You have such a nice shed! Thank you for sharing all these pics! It's always a delight to see the bulbs eagerly sprouting when they sense that it's warm enough.