Textures & Colors of my Winterscape

The predominant colors of the southeastern winter landscape are various shades of gray and brown. I often read articles about how to brighten this drab palette but I find that if you look closely these grays and browns offer a great deal of interest.

Gray is the color of intellect, knowledge and wisdom so it seems to reason that Mother Nature should cloak much of the winter terrain with this color.


I think this stump looks rather brainy, don't you?
 

Moss creeping through this bark creates an interesting abstract and lovely contrast.


Even the female birds stand out against the gray backdrop.


Being the color of earth, brown is associated with the maternal side of life. It is also the color of solidarity and makes a great background color. 

Fallen trees look fantastic in the landscape. Not only are they beneficial to wildlife but they also make great structures to plant around.


The American Beech trees hold their leaves until spring. They look like little scrolls hanging from the branches.


The insects and birds have been busy on this dead tree giving it a second purpose.



The leaf scar lined with tooth-like spines on this Devil's Walking Stick (Aralia spinosa) looks like a vicious bulldog collar.



The monochromatic colors of winter don't have to be boring. If you take a closer look they offer varied textures and patterns that may otherwise go unnoticed at other times of year. What are you finding in your winter garden that is providing you with some inspiration? 

Comments

  1. Beautiful pictures Karin...especially love the bird picture.

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    1. Thank you Marlys! I have more bird photos for an upcoming post.

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  2. Very true, Karin. I find the simple colors fascinating. I get a little tired of them out my own window, but enjoy them on other people's blogs. ;-) BTW, your photo at the top of your blog is a nice one!

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    1. Thanks. Its an American Snout butterfly. It was a unexpected find earlier this winter.

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  3. I agree with you, winter is my favorite time of year for really seeing a landscape. The textures and muted colors shine in shape and form. The soft lighting is always such a joy when it occurs too. Even harsh light is welcome in the gray days. Beautiful finds and photos.

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    1. It is a good time to evaluate the landscape and of course sunshine is always welcome during the dark days of winter. Right now we are trying to find our way through all the privet and Japanese honeysuckle that has taken over in the next door lot we just purchased.

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  4. Great post! I have to admit--I'd rather see green and be warm, but there is so much beauty in the gray texture of winter...

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    1. Rebecca, I am a warm weather person too! It is easy to enjoy spring and fall, summer's blooms always cheer up even the hottest and humid days so I am trying to appreciate the quiet of winter and the beauty it has to offer.

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  5. I love that we have four seasons. Looking through the grays and browns of the trees and seeing the real lay of the land can be breathtaking. And sometimes surprising when looking a an area previously seen in Summer. Then, too, seeing the first hints of Spring gets me really excited.

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    1. I agree. Our first cherry blossoms burst into bloom today. Always a sign that spring is just around the corner!

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  6. Karin, I haven't been by in a while. The photo of you is gorgeous. You've probably had it up for ages. :)

    The palette here is mostly brown, but I love seeing the white bark of the aspen trees silhouetted in the fall and winter.

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    1. Actually, I only just put it on the blog. I read that you should post a photo of yourself because people will connect better with a face so I thought I would give it a try. Aspen trees are so pretty. We don't have them here so I just have to enjoy photos of them.

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    2. Hey, is your photo new on the sidebar? I did not see it before. Nice to 'meet' you!

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    3. Hey Donna, yes, I just added it recently. Now you can put a face with my name :)

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  7. I love the picture of the hollowed out fallen tree.

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  8. You are so right - the greys and browns of winter can be very calming and beautiful. We have a lot of evergreen pines surrounding us, so I still have a lot of green even in winter. It's soothing to me.

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  9. I love the textures and colors of old wood, moss, and stone. Your photos are lovely. A close up photo really brings out details we often overlook. That devils walking stick shot is amazing!

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  10. I am massively uninspired by my winter garden to do anything other than book a trip to Tahiti. It's the boring brown of a suburban mulched yard and it's killing me. It's as dry as toast and as exciting as a trip to the dry cleaner. Argh!

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  11. Your photos remind me of taking a Winter walk, so many interesting things to see, so much texture and interesting shapes.

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  12. Certainly that cardinal wouldn't show up nearly as nicely in a more colourful background. Beautiful image.

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  13. I love the textures of these photos, Karin. The first couple look like some carefully drawn abstract designs.

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  14. I love how in my garden the spent flower heads and other remnants of last year garden stick up through the snow...looks like they are encased in a white sand....

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  15. HI Karen, yes they are lovely finds, and i agree they are brainy! The close-ups are very artistic especially that first find.

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  16. I think you are right that grey is an interesting color that often has hints of the other colors in it. You just have to look beyond 'drab'. I often notice that dark grey branches take on a purplish tone against the white of snow. I actually like the calm color palette that is winter.

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  17. That brainy-looking stump is gorgeous. I love the myriad of textures you can find in the gardens this time of year, before the eye becomes distracted by the glamour of spring!

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  18. You have such a good eye for interesting things in the winter landscape. I love exploring in the woods and shoreline. Your leafscar on the Arailia is pretty nasty looking, but that is how Arailia are!

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One of my favorite things about blogging is the conversation with readers. Leave a comment and let's get talking. ~Karin

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