Week 17 of the 52s...Wildflowers

This morning I got up really early, especially for a Sunday when I would prefer to sleep in a little--though the dogs rarely get on board with that bit of wishful thinking, no matter what day it is.  

Anyway...

I was up early because I wanted to drive to the Glide Wildflower Show, a nationally recognized event with over 600 native species--a huge number of wildflowers for just one state if you ask me--and I wanted to get there before the crowds so I could freely take photos.  It seems odd that such a noteworthy annual event would take place in Blink-And-You've-Missed-It Glide, Oregon, but what do I know; I'm just glad it's within striking distance.

Since my new plan scheme is to cover the wretched slope in the backyard with wildflowers in the hope they will kill off the weeds, and/or overtake the bank so weeds can't grow, I very much wanted to see the show, and find out what plants might survive the blazing Summer sun and near-drought conditions up here on the mountain. 

Plus, I just love wildflowers.

So, quick breakfast, toss the boys in the car, go for our Sunday walk at the VA, then off we go, east on the Oregon Scenic Highway, which is truly aptly named.

The poster which caught my eye immediately a few weeks back and brought about this morning's adventure...

Just walking into the show itself, held at the Glide Community Center...

I didn't get the name of this one.  It was the first photo I took, but before I could read the name card, I got sidetracked by this very interesting (and extremely chatty) woman who was part of the Native Plant Society of Oregon.  This group sponsors several expeditions throughout the year to remote parts of the state to see unique species in their natural environment.  I was intrigued, for sure.

Blue wildflower with no name...



These always give me the creeps.  They're alien and sinister and eat things.  Eewww.  The Pitcher Plant...

 

In contrast to dark and deadly...the Frosted Paintbrush...

Blue-Eyed Mary...

Giant Horsetail...

One of my top two berries--it's a toss between the Marionberry or the Salmonberry.  I love them both though the Salmonberry is incredibly hard to find.  I would love to find one I could plant in the garden.  I thought it was interesting that the flowers are such a beautiful red, when the berries are truly salmon-colored. 

This little beauty only grows in three places in my part of Oregon...and nowhere else on earth. I find that astounding...and wonderful.  Meadowfoam.  And how cool is that name?

Redwood Oxalis.  So dainty and Shamrock-like.  The flower had purple-ish striations in the tiny petals; maybe visible if you click on the photo...



Crimson Clover...(and now I have that song suddenly filling my head...which has no bearing on anything, except to illustrate how convoluted the pathways are in my brain...)

And last, but totally not least...this one is so incredible, I stood for several moments just staring before I took this shot, and my photo doesn't do it justice.  What an extraordinary flower...The Cat's Ear...

So, I had a most excellent morning, even if I did have to get up at the crack of dawn.  The drive was so nice, the weather was perfect, the wildflowers a joy to behold.  Then, outside the Community Center there was a small area where you could buy local wildflowers.  When I explained what I needed--plants able to withstand scorching Summer sun and mountain bedrock--there were two recommendations:  a type of mountain mallow, and a lupine that grows in terrible soil, again on mountains.  I bought two of each and later today will pickaxe dig new homes for them.

A good Week of the 52s and possibly a great start toward developing my own native wildflower habitat, which makes me very happy.

Now, if I could just get that bugger song out of my head....