Horse Chestnuts: Collecting Nature's Gifts

Have you ever collected horse chestnuts? This is a fall activity that my mom loves. She scouts out horse chestnut trees in the spring and mentions how we need to get to them at exactly the right time. This year we were a little late, the spiny seed pods had fallen away from the mahogany-colored chestnuts. 

My mom like to collect them in a variety of stages (a pod just opening, an open pod with the seed showing and loose chestnuts) and display them as art. Once we have some arranged at home, I'll come back here and update this post with a picture. She will also want me to tell you that she planted one in Michigan years ago and it is now a thriving 40 foot tall tree. 

Our favorite place for gathering horse chestnuts is in Volunteer Park in Seattle. It is a great open space with a long row of very old horse chestnut trees. We had a beautiful day on Saturday and we drove out to this park with my mom to find horse chestnuts and celebrate her return to health. It was a great afternoon.

#horsechestnuts #notthatkindofchestnut #volunteerpark #seattle #nature #gardenlover #treelover #fallfun

Winter Berries at Washington Park Arboretum

3 = Boyce Thompson Xanthocarpa

4 = Ilex Rubra

5 = Sorbus Forrestii

I was driving past the Washington Park Arboretum entrance on Saturday, Dec 3rd when I saw small signs promoting "Gifts and Greens." I parked and walked into the gift shop lobby to find out what it was all about. I will tell you more about Gifts and Greens tomorrow, but I want to show you what I came upon in that very lobby. Winter Berries!

Nothing is as helpful as a real world example and a detailed description. A blogger who wants to share such things with you doesn't hurt either (wink).

Japanese Box Leaf Holly

The Washington Park Arboretum had 5 cuttings from winter berries that thrive in the Seattle area and a description about each plant. 

It was titled "Have a Berry Thanksgiving." 

I'd like to thank the staff for posting this helpful winter berry display. 

"Boyce Thompson Xanthocarpa"

I loved this purple Beautyberry the most and wondered if I planted one at my new house, if it would make a show and how quickly. I have black raspberries on my formal china and I would love to be able to snip a bit of beautyberry to add to my centerpieces. I should be planting raspberries too, for that matter. My new yard will cram jam with beautiful plants. I can't wait.

1 = Beautyberry