Virginia Waterleaf

Virginia Waterleaf
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

I found this on one of the Royal Botanical Garden Arboretum nature trails in Hamilton, Ontario. The species may have flowers of other colours but this is my favourite.

Little Red

Little Red
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

I've never been much of a party person. I've probably only been to 4 or 5 in the last 64 years and before that I don't remember. That being said, it was not surprising that at one of the parties I made arrangements with my partner to meet her at the time she thought she would be ready to go home from the party and I took a walk into the nearby countryside. I ended up in a small tree overlooking a brook with a poetry book for a couple of hours. Just as I was climbing down I spotted the red. It was a brownish red with spots that did not move. I looked closer and saw a very young fawn. It had been at the base of the tree the entire time I was up there reading. I moved as slowly as I could a bit closer, reached out even more slowly and petted the small youngster and then backed slowly away.(The memory comes back this afternoon as we saw a very young fawn settling down just outside our library window. This is that fawn.)

Rare Flower # 2

Rare Flower #2
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

This Yellow Mandarin is not as rare as the last wild flower that I put up but still it is difficult to find in our area. I know of only 3 locations and perhaps 7 or 8 plants.

Golden Corydalis

Rare
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

One location in the county and only 3 locations in the next county. I think I have only seen this in flower three times in the last 10 years.

Trillium

Trillium
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

I have heard, as usual at this time of year, stories from people who think they are looking at Painted Trilliums or Red Trilliums when they are looking at this species and are unaware of its colour change.