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.