Native plant information and updates.
Hiking with a dog is so many things. Exhuberant, comical, frustrating and sometimes a little frightening, especially if the trail is narrow and the altitude high. Luckily my canine companion enjoys the outdoors and discovering new plants just as much as I do. Nosing in the heather, sniffing through ferns and leaping over boulders, she is filled with excitement and delight. Unfortunately she does not … Continue reading Gypsy Dog Plants
Hiking the Skyline trail August 2020 I experienced pure joy. Walking through the Alpine meadows, the air was light and crisp with the scent of hemlock and fir. The mists and dews made each leaf glisten and shine as if covered in millions of gems. The unbelievable color from the fields of wildflowers stopped me in my tracks time and time again. It was heavenly … Continue reading Skyline Trail
Lewisia at last. I had been waiting years to see it and listening to friends talk about it for a long time. I had been hiking for miles to find it. And finally, on a clear day in June, near Leavenworth, Washington, after eight miles of hiking, there it was. Shining on top of a rock. Glowing. Carelessly perched for all to see. I had … Continue reading Lewisia at Last
Visiting Mount Rainier National Park recently sparked joy in my heart. I haven’t been there for a long time yet it felt like home. As soon as we crossed through the gate and into the park I sensed a difference. No more gas stations and Subway sandwiches, just trees and waterfalls, flowers and that mountain. That mysterious and magical mountain. Both peaceful and powerful. A … Continue reading Rainier
Arbutus menziesii, or the Madrone tree, is a beautiful tree native to Western Washington. On a recent trip to Orcas Island I didn’t see any Orca whales but I kept spotting this amazing tree. The most striking feature is the cinnamon red peeling bark in contrast to the young chartreuse green bark. The leaves are evergreen, alternate, oval and leathery. The flowers are white, urn-shaped … Continue reading Arbutus menziesii
Rainyleaf 