Thursday, June 30, 2011

Waves of Wildflowers

I wanted to show you some pictures of the gorgeous lupines that grow wild up here in our area.

They are self-seeding and the area of them we have back by our wood working area is growing each year.

The ones we have around here come in all shades of lavender and purple plus rarely a few that are called red lupine, but I'd label them more of a deep pink or fuchsia color.

These were growing in a field that used to be part of the land used by a big lumber company in the area. I drove past it yesterday when I went to the dairy to get milk.

The lupines are nearing the end of their cycle but still put on quite a show of color.

16 comments:

judy said...

beautiful

Sue said...

I so love Lupines---we have some down here, but it was while living in the Upper Peninsula that I got to really see them --fields and fields of them, mostly blue, but a few sports of pinks and whites.
Just gorgeous!
Enjoy!!

Erin said...

They are beautiful! Whenever we have done a North Shore drive up there, I always look forward to that "ditch weed" of yours, Russian Sage. I grow a few here but they are overpriced and never get as big as back home. Hubby said the first year I took him up to Duluth/Ely "hey isn't that stuff you planted? It grows huge in the ditches up here" LOL, yep.

Mama Pea said...

judy - Thank you, ma'am!

Sue - I think I've seen a couple of whites, but not many. It's the dark, dark purple ones I like the most!

Erin - Well, now I feel dumb. What does the Russian Sage look like? Wait, I'll go Google it and see if I've noticed it.

Erin said...

Maybe you call them something else there but down in southern MN we call it Russian Sage too. We saw the most of it in rocky areas on the side of the highway (yeah, that one LOL) towards the end of July. I was googling images with the term "ditch" in them but didn't see anything but came across the top photo in a MN blog that is just how it looks, maybe you'll say a-HA! You should plant some, the deer hate it LOL

http://yesitalktoplants.blogspot.com/2010/07/plants-on-hill.html

Mama Pea said...

Erin - That's the same looking stuff I found in a photo, too, but I can't for the life of me remember seeing it. You can be sure come end of July, my eyes will be peeled looking for it now though! I'll feel really stoopid if I see it all over!! :o}

The Apple Pie Gal said...

They are gorgeous! I've never seen it in our parts :( My step-mom planted Russian Sage and it spread like wild fire. Now she spits at it!

Sparkless said...

I had some lupines in my garden last year. I was hoping they would self seed and come back but they haven't. They are so pretty and large!

Susan said...

How beautiful! And I love the new header photo!

odiie said...

We took a drive to my grandma's house last weekend and the red, or pink, lupines were thick. Very pretty. I like your new header, too. Are those red and yellow hawkweed?

odiie said...

On closer inspection I see buttercups and daiseys in there, also.

Mama Pea said...

APG - I planted a purchased Russian Sage once . . . and it died! I'm sure going to watch for the wild variety end of this month.

Sparkless - Don't give up on the lupines. They may make an appearance yet!

Susan - Thanks! I took the new header photo when I was on my journey to get milk day before yesterday, too.

odiie - It's hawkweed which I think is gorgeous! ('Course, orange is my color!) Daisies, yes, and I think the "buttercups" are technically cinquefoil. But I am pitifully BAD at my wildflower identification so don't hold me to it!

Dirt Lover said...

I love lupines. So pretty. I like driving by and seeing wave upon wave of them. Beautiful. I'm such a sucker for flowers!
~~Lori

Mama Pea said...

Lori - When you consider the COLOR that Mother Nature puts into flowers . . . it's just breath-taking!

MaineCelt said...

Mama Pea-- I'm guessing you're already familiar with the story of Miss Rumphius, a woman who walked the byways of her New England town scattering lupine seeds in order to follow an elderly relative's advice that, "you must do something to make the world more beautiful." If you're not, well, I'll have to find you a copy!

Mama Pea said...

MaineCelt - I did not know of Miss Rumphius until I Googled her and read of the delightful story. Thanks for sharing her with me. (I wonder if she made a little side trip to Minnesota?)