Reader Rock Garden 1

There were few remaining spots of colour in the Reader Rock Garden when I called in three days ago. This glowing poppy was one of them.

A cluster of beautiful, hairy buds from one of my favourite wildflowers, Orange Hawkweed. I liked the fact that there was just one small bud beginning to open. Seen at the Reader Rock Garden on 10th September. I think I have only seen this plant growing wild in one natural area in the city.

I always enjoy seeing the seedheads of the Globe Thistle. This one was growing at the Reader Rock Garden and I liked the fall/autumn bokeh on that day. Interestingness#283 explore2008October21.

I posted a rather similar, but much closer, shot of this Lily a short while ago. Decided to post this photo showing the whole of this elegant flower, which was growing at the Reader Rock Garden.

A delicate tulip, seen at the Reader Rock Garden back in June. Which reminds me, I bought a tiny bunch of small, red, fringed tulips from Safeway this afternoon. A little different. Hopefully I can get a decent shot, ready to upload when we get our next snowfall!

Found several leaves fringed with ice crystals mid October, at the Reader Rock Garden. I thought the leaf patterns were unusual, too.

I am absolutely dead beat - and my feet are killing me and my hips are complaining that they were forced to climb a very steep hillside of a butte covered in very slippery grass, as part of our hike today, LOL! I left home at 7:30 a.m. and got home this evening around 9:00 p.m. Apart from three of us stopping to have some supper on the way home, we have been out walking the rolling prairie grassland hills south west of the city, west of Nanton, hour after hour after hour ; ) We record every plant we come across, every bird, animal, insect, etc.. Every time we go out to botanize someone's acreage or do a botanizing hike in the foothills or mountains, it's a wonderful win/win situation. We get the amazing chance to see new places and new things, and the ranch/acreage owners are given a complete list of our findings. Not too warm today but dreadfully windy. I almost dread taking a look at my photos in case none of them are sharp enough. Photographing wildflowers in strong winds really doesn't work, LOL. Then I come home and when I get time, I choose certain photos from each day and crop, etc. and send them on so that they can be forwarded to other interested, local folks (some of whom were on the same outings - and not everyone has a camera). Photographed this beautiful European Pasque Flower at the Reader Rock Garden a couple of days ago. Very similar to our native wildflower, the Prairie Crocus.

Thought I'd better dig a little way into my archives and find a flower that wasn't yellow, orange or red. Much as I love them, I think I may have overdosed on fall colours, LOL. These pretty Pansies were growing at Reader Rock Garden at the end of August.

Crazy problems with Flickr this evening - when it comes to typing and posting comments on people's images and typing my own descriptions! This gorgeous Columbine was growing at the Reader Rock Garden when I visited there two days ago. Poplar fluff is falling like huge snowFlakes everywhere and sticking to everything in sight. A Few oF us spent a long day today botanizing a wonderFul area at the Foot oF the eastern edge oF the Rocky Mountains, including a wetland/bog ... OK, enough is enough! I have lost the comment I'm trying to type six times now. This Flickr problem is just too annoying!