Hippophae Sunset

Working all round the clock on artistic exploits has meant that although I haven't had time for blogging recently my awareness of the beauty of our world has been heightened.

Rhythm, texture, light and shade at this time of year is so exultantly inspiring. My hippophae rhamnoides has always fascinated me with its salix-like foliage. It seems to dance before the sunset sky.

If I had time I would love to make a textile embroidery/collage of the wonderful layers of hippophae, dark trees and the glowing sky.

Or an illuminated manuscript illustration with gold and silver leaf ... My mundane garden wall could be a medieval castle parapet!


This could be an expressionistic stained glass dome over a magnificent conservatory ...

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Or a small shrub in a tub!

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(You can see the hippophae in bud from earlier this year here. )

Hippophae shapes

Shape and form, light and shade fascinate me in the garden. The soft rounded little mounds of moss on the wall contrast with the angular shapes of the hippophae rhamnoides. After the rain, all is gleaming.

These photos of the budding hippophae were taken in the spring. Again there is the contrast with the rounded buds and the long slender thorns.

There is a jewel-like quality to the buds seen against the darker background.

I like the defiant exuberance of these criss-crossing branches against the spring sky.

Hippophae rhamnoides can grow to a very large shrub, and is often used as hedging in seaside areas. Mine is in a large tub, which I have positioned behind this wall, as I like the pattern of the mossy angles of the brickwork with the triangular shapes of the hippophae. Behind is a forsythia in spring bloom, also in a tub.

Now it is summer, and yet more contrast with the slender silvery willow-like foliage of the hippophae. What revelry!