wildflowers.

Deptford pink is a wildflower introduced to N. America from Europe. The tiny pink flowers are delicately marked with white. It is part of the Dianthus family, closely related to carnations.

I think this is an invasive species of Salvia, or sage –possibly “sticky sage” or Salvia glutinosa. It was growing wild under pine trees in Park St Bruno, about 15 miles south of Montreal. If it is indeed Salvia glutinosa it is a long way from home, as it is native to West Asia and Central Europe, not Canada.

These lavender coloured pea-like flowers are American groundnuts (Apios Americana) and were found growing as a vine in the sand along the shores of the beach in Oka Park in Quebec. The beans and roots of this plant are highly nutritious and were eaten by native Americans and early settlers.

A solitary orange butterfly weed growing in the long grass. This is a member of the milkweed family, and is often visited by butterflies, bees, and, I'm told, by humming birds. Don Mills Valley, North York, Toronto.

These are cardinal flowers ( Lobelia cardinalis ) growing in the sand at Oka beach near Montreal. The bright red wild flowers are pollenated by humming birds. It's the first time I have found them so I was enormously pleased when I stumbled upon them. (I was looking for frogs at the time). Oka is a fresh water beach on a bulge in the Ottawa river near where it joins the St Lawrence river called the Lake of Two Mountains. Cardinal flowers are in the lobelia family. I didn't have a camera with me so these were taken on a phone camera.

Wild iris besides a lake. (En 1999, l'iris fut choisi comme fleur-emblème du Québec)

Wild iris beside a lake, St Bruno

A wild iris growing by a lake, St Bruno, Quebec. These are also called "Blue flags", the word flag is from old English Flagge meaning reed or rush.

Solomon's seal, from Don Valley parklands, Toronto. It is a mid-sized woodland plant, about 45cm tall, with curved stems that carry white flowers. It is a relative of lily of the valley and is said to have therapeutic properties.

Virginia Bluebells, a spring flower of the woods, Bestview Park, Toronto. They spread a carpet of blue under the trees.

A small yellow plant of the forest floor. This is called perfoliate because the stem carrying the flower appears to grow through the leave (or rather the leave grows around the stem). St Bruno near Montreal.( Uvularia perfoliata )

Trout lily. A spring plant of the forest floor. St Bruno near Montreal. It can take as long as seven years growth before these plants flower. It is said to be called the trout lily because the mottled and flecked appearance of the leaves looks like trout skin. I don't see the similarity myself.

These are called Dutchman’s breeches, a spring flower of the forest floor. The flowers are pollenated by bumble bees. Other insects bite holes in the flowers to get at the pollen and nectar but this doesn’t pollenate them. The seeds are taken by ants to their nests. They eat the outer coating but dispose of the seeds in the nest “garbage dump”. The seeds grow there, safe in the nest and feeding on the ant nest detritus. St Bruno near Montreal.

Red trillium is a common spring plant of the woods. It smells of rotten meat, and attracts flies to pollenate it. It is sometimes called Stinking Benjamin (according to the book, I've never actually heard anyone call it that). St Bruno near Montreal.

Fiddle heads- young ferns. These are edible, some people say they taste nutty, I find they taste muddy. Best with lots of melted butter (but what isn't?). St Bruno near Montreal.

Plants of the Canadian Arctic This is a photograph (cell phone) of a scan of a pressed plant from the Canadian National Collection. It is part of a small exhibition shown in Montreal. Mountain sagewort; Artemisia tilesii. This is used to treat sore muscles, joint pain and skin infections.

Plants of the Canadian Arctic This is a photograph (cell phone) of a scan of a pressed plant from the Canadian National Collection. It is part of a small exhibition shown in Montreal. This is called "River Beauty ": Chamerion latifolia .

Plants of the Canadian Arctic This is a photograph (cell phone) of a scan of a pressed plant from the Canadian National Collection. It is part of a small exhibition shown in Montreal - . Alpine Arnica: Arnica angustifolia