Daniel J. Hinkley

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You are here: Home / Archives for Heronswood

Paths to Linnaea

June 16, 2017 By Daniel J. Hinkley

Charming pink bells held in pairs of the Twinflower, Linnaea borealis
The still extant colony of Linnaea borealis in the woodland at Heronswood

In June of 1987, our realtor brought us back to the property at 7530 288th St NE for a second look.  We had been uninspired by our first viewing on a cold, dreary January day earlier that same year.  And besides, the asking prices of $89,000 was appreciably beyond our budget.

On that early summer’s day, however, the skies were crisply blue while from the canopy of Doug firs and cedars came a cacophony of birdsong.  I ventured into the thick native undergrowth of the woodland to get a better feel of the property and its potential for garden making.

On a mound of duffy soil surrounding a rotting stump, I encountered a generous colony of Linnaea borealis in full blossom.  As I kneeled down to admire the plant that had long been a favorite,  a black-capped chickadee arrived to the stump with a fat grub in its beak and entered a hole to a chorus of hungry nestlings inside.  We made an offer on what would become Heronswood that evening.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Heronswood, Plants Tagged With: Heronswood, Woodland Plants

Leaving a Garden, Slowly

March 11, 2007 By Daniel J. Hinkley

Ypsilandra thibeticaYesterday, March 10th, was the first day of 2007 that I sensed spring. It is curious how it happens so suddenly and irrepressibly. I listened to music on my Radio Shack headphones during my early morning six miles through the surroundings of Indianola. While still in the tall wood not far from our house, the unmistakable song of a robin forced its way into my headset. I paused for a moment and pretended to tie my shoe strings while contemplating the degree of emotion that this fetching song has carried. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Essays, Heronswood

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Daniel J. Hinkley

Teacher, writer, lecturer, consultant, nurseryman, naturalist, gardener.
Above all, he is committed to solid and sustainable horticultural practices, above average garden plants, landscapes of distinction and raising the collective awareness of the diversity of plant life on Earth as well as the magic and mysteries of our natural world. Learn more…

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