My Favorite Photo's of 2014

Here is a look back at some of the photos that I took in 2014. I selected them for different reasons and the process of selection brought much reflection of the past year, which is always a good exercise.

The winter of 2014 kept us on our toes with a large snow storm that blanketed the Pacific Northwest. Here is a picture that I took of my neighborhood, as the snowfall began. I remember thinking how quaint our little street looked, like something out of the 1950's. It was so quiet, I could hear the snow hit the ground.

My son enjoyed the neighborhood park turned snow hill. I could barely peel him away at the end of each day. He was so happy 'catching air' and playing with all this neighborhood friends.

Spring arrived and I love capturing our old dogwood tree in bloom. It's around 80 years old. It doesn't have perfect shape, long damaged by other trees who dropped large limbs in years past. Nonetheless, we love this tree and treasure it.

Cornus florida rubra

We lost this beautiful 80+ year old, Star Magnolia tree in mid-December due to the Douglas Fir tree behind it dropping a huge, forked branch that split the tree in two. Happy to have caught a few years of it in bloom, it was a magnificent show.

Magnolia stellata

By and far the biggest project that we undertook as a family was a complete exterior remodel of our home. This old house was built by my husband's great grandfather in the 1920's. Nothing had really been done on the outside, save new windows, since the home was built. We could not have been more pleased with the end result.

old and new, April 2014

Another plant that seemed to disappear overnight was my pink lupine. It was there one day, then it was dead. I think some type of bug got at the roots. I loved this plant, as silly as that sounds, I carefully transplanted it from our prior home to our new home in 2012. I think I originally bought it in 2010. Serious bummer. 

I started several lupines from seed in the winter of 2014 and took those starts and planted them around in my gardens. I just can't imagine a pacific northwest cottage garden without lupines. I won't know the colors until this spring. Something to look forward too.

Lupinus regalis 'Gallery Pink'

I tore out this pretty, coral pink, rhododendron. It was so pretty but all of the azaleas and rhododendrons in my gardens became inflected with lace bugs.  I really enjoyed this particular rhody..another that I moved from the old house to the new one in 2012, but it was suffering as were all the azaleas and rhododendrons in the gardens. I pulled them all out.

Rhododendron 'Coral Mist'

This old fashioned pink peony, edulis superba with the gallant blue spires of delphinium in the back drop was probably one of my favorite pictures of spring. The timing of their blooms was just perfect. The peony was given to me by a neighbor who didn't want it anymore and it had been in the gardens of her older home for decades. There is nothing quite like fragrant, heirloom peonies in spring. 

Edulis superba

My heart was not in this years vegetable garden. However, I loved that my kids both grew veggies this summer. My son is already asking me what we are going to plant this coming summer and is even volunteering to help clean out and prep the garden boxes this winter. His enthusiasm is catching :)

This favorite photo speaks for itself. I mean really, what garden geek doesn't love plant shopping? I love getting gift cards to plant nurseries for my birthday! 

I enjoyed my visit to Swan Island Dahlia's in late August. So many beautiful blooms and such vivid colors.  I have a few on my wish list as I think it's time I added dahlia's back into my gardens. The visit inspired me to make room for a 'cut flower' garden.

Swan Island Dahlia Festival

Silver cat demonstrates how big this extra large sized hardy hibiscus bloom was near our front porch. I was so proud that I got blooms as the plant was not in the 'perfect' location and I had to make extra sure that it was kept watered enough. It had so many blooms, maybe I got the spot right after all?

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Pink Cloud'

My last photo to share was taken this fall, as the weather began to cool and I captured my favorite heather as its colors were changing into coral hues. Year-round interest. Yes. 

Calluna vulgaris 'Firefly'

Wishing all my friends a very 'Happy New Year'! I'm excited to take on new gardening adventures and continue to grow as a plant loving photographer.

Cheers, Jenni