Spring, and the Beauty of "Modest"

Spring is unfolding on the west coast... although sometimes it's hard to tell the change of seasons, because so many gardens have colourful winter-blooming shrubs and plantings. Take heathers, for example. They are just one of many non-native plants which bloom over the winter in Victoria. I included one image in my last post; here's another.

A February image of heather

I could devote this post entirely to the colourful imported plants which spice up Victoria's grey winter months. But, instead, I want to focus on a few native plants which are blooming for spring in a more understated style. 

Here are several native plants, all close to home.

Osoberry in flower (also called Indian plum). The flowers were beginning to bud in late January.

I loved the delicacy of these flowers emerging on the Big Leaf Maple. Photo taken March 31.

Oregon grape, March 27. These blooms take me back to my time in the interior, when these roadside flowers were a sure sign of spring. This patch was most likely planted here as part of landscaping. 

Here's a close-up of Oregon grape from when I lived in Salmon Arm.

Detail of Oregon grape.

The not-so-modest Red-flowering current. This was blooming March 26.

Within a few days I'm sure I will find other "modest" native flowers emerging, such as the delicate fawn lily.

The delicate Fawn lily. I took this photo in early April last year; I look forward to discovering them soon. The flower in the foreground ready to open is either native camas or the non-native bluebell. I suspect the latter. Both look similar before they open.

A field of Fawn lilies. This photo was also from early April 2024.

Victoria has so much incredible blossom in spring, it is easy to focus on the streets lined with blooming trees, and miss the smaller native plants hugging the ground. This post pays homage to a few native plants that are less flamboyant than the non-native florals.

Around and About

My first post of 2025 pays homage to what can be discovered when walking. As readers know, I enjoy discovering my environment by foot, and the delights that can only be appreciated when I slow down, and take the time to feel the world with all my senses.

Along Dallas Road. Despite the ever-present wind off the ocean, I often see people occupying the chairs.

The photo below is of the Union Club, on Gordon Street.

The pink of the blossom was just emerging when I took this photo. I liked the restraint of the building finishes, and how the blossom complements the colours.

I've featured Capital Park in previous posts, and was intrigued by the complementary colours of the rust, and the blue tones, in the scene below.

This view makes the development look stark, but as the trees leaf out, and continue growing, the ambience softens. And the trees have grown in the few years they've been here! I explored the reddish Corten Steel in a previous post.

I often walk down Parry Street in James Bay, shown in the photo below. It offers a great pedestrian shortcut towards the downtown.

I've been enjoying these winter heathers for what seems like months now! The birch is one of two in front of the building. I hold my breath each spring, wondering how these delicate, water-hungry trees weathered the previous dry summer and fall.

The James Bay United Church is a hub for the community. It operates a thrift store, hosts a Tuesday night jazz concert with amazing artists, has regular sessions like QiGong, and offers other events, both musical and thought-provoking. This intention to connect with the community is reflected in their banner, below.

Banner at the James Bay United Church, with the metaphorical bridge illustrated by the stone bridge at Beacon Hill Park.

Followers of this blog will know that I enjoy the artistry of window displays. The Tuscan Kitchen near the Bay Centre never fails to delight.

Cheerful energy from the Tuscan Kitchen.

The next two scenes did not involve walking anywhere, but I was intrigued at how quickly the sky changes at sunset. 

Photo taken from our apartment at 6:00 pm March 2 (before the switch to DST).

In just a few minutes, the sky changed dramatically:

The sky a few minutes later. 

I'll be continuing my walking adventures, and more photos will soon appear on this site as the days lengthen.

Enjoy spring!