Wild Bergamot / Monarda fistulosa

I've taken so few photos of wildflowers this year - birds and other creatures have kept me so busy the last few months, which is unusual, but has been wonderful. Yesterday, five of us had the chance to visit and botanize a new area (for some of us) - Dry Island Buffalo Jump, a long drive NW of Calgary. The day started off overcast, then turned to drizzle, which then turned into non-stop rain. There is a gate at the top of this area, which is closed when it has been, or is, raining, as everywhere turns into one slippery surface. Bentonite, ancient volcanic clay ash, is prolific, and when it gets wet, it becomes very, very slippery and treacherous. Our feet slid on the surface of the gravel road that we had to walk on, and we weren't able to leave the road to go and explore. Yesterday, the gate was unfortunately closed, so we had to walk all the way down to the floor of the badlands - which meant, of course, that the return walk was all uphill, which I never do well with. I'm always so thankful for very patient friends! By the time we reached the bottom, the rain was heavy and after just a few minutes, I was soaked to the skin and remained that way for the rest of the day, ha. There were lots of these beautiful Wild Bergamot flowers, giving lovely splashes of colour. Thanks so much, Sandy, for introducing us to a new, fascinating area of Alberta and for the ride - made a great day, despite the rain!

"Dry Island Buffalo Jump is so-named because of a flat-topped mesa called a "dry island" that rises 200 metres above the Red Deer River. In the distance you can see the grassy cliff-top of an ancient buffalo jump. Cree Indians hunted bison here by stampeding them over the high cliffs, providing enough meat, skins and other products to sustain them. The park is a mix of badlands and riparian forests where cacti and other plants typical of Alberta's grasslands are found in proximity to species normally associated with the Boreal Forest Natural Region. Prairie falcons nest on cliff faces in the park. Due to the high content of bentonite (a clay-like material) roads and trails in this area can become very slippery when wet, sometimes making them unsafe or impassable for both vehicle and foot traffic. As a result, the access road from the viewpoint to the park's day use area is often closed during wet conditions."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarda_fistulosa

albertaparks.ca/dry-island-buffalo-jump.aspx