Call Of The Wildflower by Michael McCoy A trip to the Canadian Rockies is primarily about that breath taking scenery, right? About peak after snow-capped peak, reflecting in mirrored surfaces of surreal turquoise lakes. In distant second place are the wild animals – the moose, the elk, and if you're really lucky, the brown bear. Then, somewhere way down in the priority list, are the wildflowers. At least this is how it seemed to me last June I confess I'd only given the wildflowers a passing thought as the Ross Garden Tours Group headed east out of Vancouver, to ride over several ranges before arriving at the Rockies. I remember the exact moment when all that turned around. We were climbing up into Sun Peaks, a small ski resort in its quiet, lazy summer phase, after a lengthy day in the coach, which included a visit to the sumptuous Minter Gardens, and a delicious sleep-inducing lunch. I was staring blankly out of the window in a dazed stupor, when I spotted something that made me sit bolt upright. "No, it can't have been, just stay calm" said my inner voice "It can't possibly have been…" and before I could finish, I saw it again – a great clump of false Solomon's seal, or [itals]Smilacina racemosa, as I know it. It is impossible to describe my excitement at seeing this plant which I'd longed to grow in gardens at home, but which had never been available in nurseries – never even imported, as far as I knew – growing in fat, luxuriant patches on the edges of forests of conifer. I was pressed up against the glass like a kid fogging up the windows of a lolly shop. The thrill of seeing [itals]Smilacina was only part of it. My mind immediately leapt to what else must be about, if my first sighting, without any anticipation or effort on my part, was this special.
Sure enough, that was only the start of it. Just before sunset on the same day I disappeared into the deep gully cut by the stream thundering by the ski village, and discovered a whole world of rarities. To describe them as wildflowers is a bit misleading. They were mostly woodland plants with the unique luxuriance of plants that know they need to seize the moment given the very short season, and to catch as much light as possible in the evergreen gloom of the forest. These plants therefore concentrate on foliage, which is diverse and abundant. And the best of them have a rare elegance and poise that puts them on the 'very desirable' list. There I stumbled across baneberry, [itals]Actaea rubra, in it's humble creamy scented bloom, soon to be sporting its club of lipstick-red berries. Here I spotted the stout shoots of [itals]Veratrum viride exploding up through the moist earth, soon to unfold its corrugated leaves, and to thrust its head-height spikes of tiny green flowers skyward. There were great sweeps of [itals]Thalictrum, with leaflets and flowers held so tenuously on thread-like stems that they shimmered in the faintest of evening breezes. But most exciting of all was the creeping dogwood, ([itals]Cornus canadensis, coming into bloom. This is a dogwood that only grows to about 10cm high from a creeping rootstock. Where there is sufficient light, every little stem is topped with a classic white dogwood flower. The next day the group, after being shown a few of my finds, quickly turned into accomplished wildflower spotters. Soon after, on a walk to Spahats falls, one of the group pointed out a tiny thing, almost too small to see from a standing position. Down on hands and knees we discovered [itals]Linnaea borealis, named after Carl Linnaeus – the Swedish forefather of plant naming – and a favourite of his on account of its charm, which wasn't lost on us. There also was the crocus-like[itals]Clintonia uniflora, and the bizarre reptilian-flowered [itals]Asarum canadensis, whose roots smell exactly of ginger. The roadsides in this area were smattered with patches of screaming scarlet formed by perhaps the showiest of Canadian wildflowers – The Indian Paintbrush, [itals] Castilleja chromosa. But the best find of all – the one that had me screaming for the bus driver to stop – was right up in the Rockies proper just after we had stopped to look, or should I say gawk in disbelief, at the aqua waters of Peyton Lake. To our delight there had been a light snowfall, and sticking through the snow were the clean, yellow, almost cyclamen-like flowers of the trout lily, [itals] Erythronium grandiflorum. It was all too good to be true. I was as close to heaven, both in elevation and in head-state, as I ever need to be this side of the real thing. 5 things to experience in … The Canadian Rockies
Travel through the Rockies using different transport modes. Try driving, training, bike riding but be sure to walk whenever you can. There's nothing like experiencing that atmosphere first hand.
Grab a coffee in Chateau Lake Louise (but avoid meal times or they won't serve drinks). The view through the arched windows is indescribably beautiful
Stop off at Lake Peyto. Its unbelievably blue waters will leave you gasping.
Take an empty bottle to the Athabasca Glacier on the Columbia icefields to collect the melting glacial water. Frozen tens of thousands of years ago, it's said to be the purest water you'll ever drink
Have your accommodation pack you a picnic lunch for the following day. There are precious few places on the highway to eat, and none of them are as good as sitting by the roadside, unwrapping your lunch and being swallowed up in all that natural drama.
If you're keen to head off on a fabulous garden tour with the team, call Ross Gardens Tours on 1800 809 348, email travel@rosstours.com or visit www.rosstours.com.
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