Autumn in the Garden at Sequoia House Seattle

For the Sequoia House Seattle Heritage Tree, autumn is a time of renewal and rebirth.

Sequoia House Seattle gets into the Halloween spirit. You can see some of the needles that fall in every autumn layered on the ground.

Although the tree is evergreen, from now through December the Sequoia House Seattle Giant Sequoia regularly sheds large quantities of needles - up to two large yard waste bins full each week, equivalent to eight to ten yard waste bags. This is part of the Sequoia’s yearly renewal process, creating “leaf duff” which provides nutrients for the tree and protection for its roots.  

Sequoia House Seattle welcomes trick or treaters, who walk under the Tree's magnificent branching to receive their treats.

While we always leave a layer of needles on the ground under the Sequoia, we also rake up a lot that is turned into compost or saved for mulch.  We also are spending a fair amount of time sweeping up the needles from the sidewalks and walkways, as well as deadwood that comes down when it is windy.  This helps keep them free of debris so that the many people who visit the tree daily, as well as passerbys (and often their pets), can enjoy strolling by the tree.  

Under the tree itself, native Douglas Iris are showcasing their brilliant display of orange berries, bursting from seed pods formed from its delicate lavender spring flowers.  Although not native, cyclamen does well under the dry shade of the Giant Sequoia and its flowers are in bloom as well.  Both of these can withstand the contact onslaught of Sequoia needles dropping regularly on them this time of year.

Douglas Iris, a native plant that thrives in the dry shade under the Sequoia, displays bright orange berries that burst open from seed pods this time of year.

In the backyard, birds are in abundance feasting on seeds and berries that are readily available this time of year, often foraging among the fallen leaves from the vine maple and hazelnut trees. The backyard vegetable garden also is wrapping up for the year.  Kale is still in abundance; in fact it will easily overwinter.  There are still some tomatoes on the vine, but most have already been harvested.

We hope to decorate the tree for the holidays as well.  If we do, we will let you know!