My background is firmly rooted in horticulture. But like any truly plant-obsessed person, my adoration of plants does not stop at the proverbial garden gate. Wild plants of all kinds are infinitely fascinating and gorgeous. The seasonal, regional, and genetic distinctions give endless distraction. While in search of these botanical treasures, if one can tear their gaze away, one frequently finds oneself surrounded by natural beauty in the form of alpine meadows, ancient forests, waterfalls and geological wonders.
I am fortunately unencumbered and able to travel the state, region and occasionally even to other countries, to see new plants and revisit beloved favorites. Mainly I achieve this through hiking (though any friend or family member of mine will attest, all trips with me involve a stop at one garden center, minimum).
With plants, it doesn’t matter if I’ve seen it a thousand times: the first bloom of the season, the first burst of lush growth, the first blush of fall color. All hold an endearing intimacy, akin to seeing a dear friend after a year’s absence. When repetition does not dull an experience, in sighting boredom but instead cements an unwritten kinship. It is both this bond with cherished favorites and the search for something new that brings me across the miles.
Photo: The falls at Dry Creek Falls.
Photo: Broad-leaved Stonecrop,
Sedum spathulifolium intertwined with moss in boulder scree.
Photo: Boulder scree area with thick layers of moss.
Photo: Rattlesnake Plantain,
Goodyera oblongifolia, later in the season it will have stalks studded with white blooms.
Photo: Rattlesnake Plantain,
Goodyera oblongifolia; note the variation in the variegation of the leaf. Fantastic!
Photo: Western Trillium,
Trillium ovatum. An early blooming ephemeral woodland plant.
Dry Creek Falls is a well-traveled trail about 40 miles east of Portland, Oregon in the Columbia River gorge. It is a low trail, not ascending above 700 feet.
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