Category Archives: wildflowers

Fairy slippers

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Alistair

  May is the month to see fairy slippers (Calypso bulbosa). This orchid is perhaps the loveliest of our wildflowers. Five of many fairy slippers bloom on a sun-warmed forest slope. Here are three views.

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Lupin lustre

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Alistair

  A lupin is a member of the pea family. When it emerges in the spring, its leaves can form a cup that can hold rain water. The collected rain can form a lens to reveal, or obscure, the intricacies of … Continue reading →

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One hundred thousand

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Alistair

  This month marks an anniversary of sorts.  This blog about Kootenay Lake and its surroundings is about four years old. Since that time, there have been just under seven-hundred postings. To these, readers have added about 1600 welcome comments. Spammers have now … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, wildflowers | 11 Comments

Yellow pond lily

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Alistair

  There is local wildflower that grows in water, but not in the water of Kootenay Lake. There, its growth would probably be disrupted by the large seasonal changes in lake level and by stormy waves. The yellow pond lily favours ponds … Continue reading →

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Alpine wildflowers II

Posted on August 4, 2013 by Alistair

  Herein are a few more wildflowers seen along the alpine trail to Idaho Peak. This follows the already posted Pink Mountain Heather and an earlier one on alpine wildflowers. While a number of other species were seen, these three postings … Continue reading →

Posted in scenes, wildflowers | 2 Comments

Alpine wildflowers

Posted on August 2, 2013 by Alistair

  Tuesday’s walk through alpine meadows (altitude between 2100 and 2260 metres) produced a feast of wildflowers and hundreds of images. Already shown was the Pink Mountain Heather; here are a few more. The Harebell was easy to identify as it … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, bugs, wildflowers | 1 Comment

Pink Mountain Heather

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Alistair

  The first time I saw Pink Mountain Heather (Phyllodoce empetriformis), I found only one small patch. But then, the altitude was below 1600 metres (Gibson Lake). Yesterday, I found it in great profusion, but now the altitude was over … Continue reading →

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Four wildflowers +

Posted on July 13, 2013 by Alistair

  Two forest walks, yesterday, revealed the following delights. The Twinflower is found in the boreal woods of both the East and West Hemispheres. It was adopted as the personal emblem of Carl Linnaeus (1707-78), the Swedish founder of the modern system … Continue reading →

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Speedwell

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Alistair

  Yesterday, when I posted pictures of three wildflowers, I had wanted to post a fourth. Alas, I couldn’t find the other flower, even though I knew it should be in my lawn about now. Today, there it was: the … Continue reading →

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Early yard flowers

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Alistair

  Of course my yard has dandelions. But, these pictures show three other flowers, all of them wild, that have volunteered to hang out in the vicinity of my house. By merely knowing these species, a botanist could deduce much about my habitat. … Continue reading →

Posted in wildflowers | 4 Comments