My Bit of Heaven - by Kristl Walek

[Maggi Young]

Apart from the bugs, Kristl, I am having a great time!

[Kristl Walek]

Aralia nudicaulis was everywhere, as was the beautiful Clintonia borealis and Trientalis borealis.

More to come this evening....

[Kristl Walek]

I hesitated for some time before heading from the normal wet area (with only 100,000 biting bugs on me at any given point) to the *really* wet area (where I knew there would be about 1 million bugs waiting for me)....but alas, the potential plants pushed me forward.

Wet openings began to appear in the woods....and then coming around a bend, my usual path looked as though it had disappeared under water. A beaver had been busy...and though I had little of anything stable to walk on except his/her nibblings I forged ahead - tiptoeing along the sides on small logs and debris...

Once back on semi solid ground, Matteucia struthiopteris were everywhere, some almost as tall as me.

Vacciniums appeared---I believe this is V. myrtilloides.

Then solid areas of the shrubby Gaylussacia baccata.

[Kristl Walek]

When the oaks began to appear, I knew I was getting close to the opening to the Ottawa river.

Quercus rubra leaves still had some remaining color from last winter.

Finally I saw my signpost in the distance---a Quercus macrocarpa with the river behind it.
The edge of the beach is fairly solid Oaks (Q. rubra, marcrocarpa and alba).

Beneath them are large trailing plants of Prunus pumila var. susquehanae, which rarely get taller than 30-45cm colonizing the sand as they do. I was surprised to still find them in flower, as they had stopped some time ago in my garden.

I had hoped to see the rare Hudsonia tomentosa (Woolly Sand Heather) in bloom- but I was too early. This is a low, branched shrub, resembling heather. In bloom, bright yellow flowers are crowded near the branch tips. I have tried establishing this in my garden on a number of occasions, but have not been able to make it happy.

I should not have been surprised to find the water of the river also very high this year. I had hoped to see the rare Viola lanceolata, which I only know from here, which normally grows right along the edge of the water.

Also, I wanted to check out the Vaccinium macrocarpon (Cranberry), as this is my normal seed collection spot---both were entirely submerged under water. The vegetation you see in the picture is part of my Vaccinium macrocarpon site.

[Kristl Walek]

My day was not yet over...because (as I am often apt to do), I was saving my reward for last...

And I *really* needed a reward at this point as I now had to backtrack almost to the beginning.

At the mid point of the first stretch of forest, there is an opening of solid red pine (a plantation that was purposely planted at some point). ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is growing here in the pine duff on the forest floor except hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of Cypripedium acaule.

It is difficult to explain the sheer joy I experience being in a place like this. It is sacred to me and nowhere do I feel more at home than in a beautiful, wild spot. I almost always have a similar thought at these times...."life doesn't get any better than this"....

And how do I choose the pictures to show you, when I could not stop photographing them?

Generally I will say that almost 80% of the clones were richly coloured. In fact it was difficult to find a sample of a pale colour. Seed pods were still extant on many plants---with the seeds still inside tightly closed pods. I had to open the one I photographed.

Seedlings were everywhere, at all conceivable stages of growth. In fact it was difficult to walk in many areas without stepping on a baby or an adult.

The soil, as expected was sand topped with pine duff.

[Kristl Walek]

and the last of the beauties...

[Lvandelft]

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is growing here in the pine duff on the forest floor except hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of Cypripedium acaule.

That's really an ABSOLUTE dull place Kristl.
"Almost" nothing to see..... 

Thank you for these pictures of all those beautiful forest plants!

[ruweiss]

Wow,what a place!It is an incredible paradise for all nature lovers.
Thank you for sharing it with us!

[Kristl Walek]

A few days later, back at the farm...

The beautiful Iris setosa canadensis I planted in scree next to the pond, reminiscent of the rocks near water where I first collected the seed.

Actaea pachypoda var. rubrocarpa (the red-fruited white Baneberry) in bloom. The berries ripen to a shimmering pinkish-red.

Morel mushrooms anyone? It's a great year for them here--they have popped up everywhere this week, including in the lawn. The hollow interior is a sure fire way to know you have Morcella deliciosa. I eat as many as I can handle fresh, and freeze/dry the remainder for winter.

Penstemon hirsutus has begun- one can find areas of them in the wild stretching to the horizon. And the equally ubiquitous Sisyrinchium montanum has been blooming for a while---seed is already almost ripe on some specimens.

[Kristl Walek]

The woody species are in wonderful shape this year with so much available moisture and a mild winter.

Larix laricina beginning to flaunt its roses..

Viburnum trilobum heavy with bloom.

Lonicera hirsuta is the second of our native climbing honeysuckles--a beautiful species, although one has to hunt for it in the wild.

Sorbus decora is a wonderful native Hawthorn.

And I love Cornus alternifolia with elegant, tiered branches. It is also consistent in bloom, fruit display and is hardy enough for the toughest climates.

[Susan]

Fabulous, Kristl.  Keep them coming.  Loved that larch - does it also have wonderful autumn (fall)colour?

I have so enjoyed this thread and all the plants in it.

Thank you,

Susan

[Kristl Walek]

Susan,
Thank you for your kind comment.

I will try to find a picture of the fall foliage of the larch (which IS fabulous, yes)---a really warm, glowing yellow before the needles drop.

This picture does not really do it justice---think it was taken in haste very late in the season---I will endeaver to photograph them to death this fall- they deserve it!

[ChrisB]

What a wonderful walk, Kristl, you should write a book!  Loved the cyps, magic, like you say.  Which lake is it?

[Kristl Walek]

What a wonderful walk, Kristl, you should write a book!  Loved the cyps, magic, like you say.  Which lake is it?

I actually have written the book, Christine. Well, almost. This year concentrating on pictures, and final touches. It's been 2 years, but perhaps another year or so until it is finished. It is about native species of eastern Canada. Not from the usual "Wildflowers Of..." perspective (although obviously identifying the species in their native habitat, etc), but with a focus on sexual propagation (seed, spore, etc.) which is, of course, my specialty.

It will deal with how to identify, collect, clean, store the seed; germinate the various species. I am still in the middle of of some of the difficult research. Have been working on the "green spores" of ferns this spring, and am presently absorbed by the ephemeral Ulmus (Elms), which I have been madly timing, collecting, testing, subjecting to various storage techniques.

If only my body were not riddled with arthritis to make some of the outings less painful and with a shorter recovery period. If only I did not have such a close and personal relationship with pain killers. Ultimately, if only I did not have to move. But, the "if onlies" aside, I forge ahead because I need to do it, and love every moment of it.

Cypripedium acaule is not as prevalent here as it is in Nova Scotia, for instance. But for those of us in Ontario, a spot such as that is pure wonder....and the water is not a lake, but the Ottawa River.

[Maggi Young]

Cypripedium acaule is not as prevalent here as it is in Nova Scotia, for instance.

Good grief! You mean there places with MORE???!!!!