This afternoon it seemed to me that I ought to check the area of West Swamp Creek (about 20 miles to the southwest of my home). Sure enough, there were several species blooming there in profusion and I was glad that I paid attention to my hunch.
Small White Violet ~ Viola macloskeyi
Both the white and yellow violets are growing right in the water of a small spring fed stream, which makes photographing them a rather wet and messy endeavor, but that’s alright because it is now warm!
Pioneer Violet ~ Viola glabella
Alpine Springbeauty ~ Claytonia megarhiza
Glacier Lily ~ Erythronium grandiflorum
Shooting Star ~ Dodecatheon pulchellum
Small Bluebells ~ Mertensia longiflora
Slender Phlox ~ Microsteris gracilis
Montana Outdoors 
So nice to see these spring flowers–gorgeous photos!
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Comment by jessicagurevitch — April 25, 2019 @ 6:46 pm
Thanks! I’m really happy to see the start of the wildflower season. I immensely enjoy seeing the wildflowers.
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Comment by montucky — April 25, 2019 @ 7:21 pm
Not only beautiful flowers, but beautiful photos as well. You are way ahead of the Northeast in terms of blossoms.
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Comment by lmachayes — April 25, 2019 @ 6:53 pm
Thanks! Spring here is about a month later than usual. A week ago there were only a few species of wildflowers in bloom and now there are dozens; it is as though they are all trying to catch up. Yesterday I saw several species blooming at an elevation of over 4,000 feet.
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Comment by montucky — April 25, 2019 @ 7:28 pm
Very pleasant to have a look. Thanks and congrats.
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Comment by nvsubbaraman — April 25, 2019 @ 6:54 pm
Thank you! I’m glad that you enjoy seeing the flowers!
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Comment by montucky — April 25, 2019 @ 7:29 pm
What an absolute joy, montucky. The flowers are so delicate and brightly vital. Fantastic photos. Isn’t it great that your hunch, and following it, paid off?
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Comment by Jet Eliot — April 25, 2019 @ 6:54 pm
Wildflowers are so dainty and really pretty. You’ve done a good job of photographing them.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — April 25, 2019 @ 7:50 pm
Thanks Anneli. It’s so good to see the flowers returning again. It is certainly a welcome to spring!
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Comment by montucky — April 25, 2019 @ 8:53 pm
Agree!
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — April 25, 2019 @ 8:54 pm
Very nice indeed!
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Comment by Harold Rhenisch — April 25, 2019 @ 7:56 pm
Thanks Harold!
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Comment by montucky — April 25, 2019 @ 8:53 pm
Spring is definitely erupting in Montana! Thanks for sharing your photographs.
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Comment by bigskybuckeye — April 25, 2019 @ 7:59 pm
Yes, the Earth is celebrating! Glad you enjoyed the flowers!
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Comment by montucky — April 25, 2019 @ 8:54 pm
Give yourself a pat on the back not only for listening to your hunch but also for the beautifully crafted images you managed!
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Comment by de Wets Wild — April 25, 2019 @ 8:33 pm
The wildflowers speak for themselves and I’m very happy to make them visible to folks who don’t otherwise get to see them.
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Comment by montucky — April 25, 2019 @ 8:57 pm
And we really appreciate it!
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Comment by de Wets Wild — April 25, 2019 @ 9:55 pm
Thank you so much!
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Comment by montucky — April 25, 2019 @ 9:59 pm
Those Shooting Stars are so cool. also the Alpine Spring Beauties are beauties. And the Glacier Lily. Well, okay, all of them.
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Comment by Candace — April 25, 2019 @ 8:58 pm
It’s easy to fall in love with the wildflowers, isn’t it!
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Comment by montucky — April 25, 2019 @ 9:11 pm
Those hunches usually are trustworthy, aren’t they? Every now and then I get a “stop here!” feeling, and discover something lovely. I couldn’t quite place the Claytonia. It was nagging at me for some reason other than the flower itself, and then I remembered. The newsletter of the Arkansas Native Plant Society is named The Claytonia. I’m sure their species is different; I’ll have to look it up.
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Comment by shoreacres — April 25, 2019 @ 9:18 pm
Yes, one has to pay attention to hunches. The USDA “Plants” website lists 117 records for “Claytonia”.
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Comment by montucky — April 25, 2019 @ 9:41 pm
These are beautiful photos, Montucky! I am glad you followed your hunch. Seeps and springs are violet territory, for sure. I have not found any violets here on the farm, but I suspect it is too hot and dry in summer for these beauties.
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Comment by Lavinia Ross — April 25, 2019 @ 9:24 pm
Thanks! The small area where I found these today will host many more species of flowers as the season progresses.
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Comment by montucky — April 25, 2019 @ 9:43 pm
Shooting stars are my favourite. I seldom find them growing wild on our property, so I planted seeds in a flower bed. They are very hardy and never fail to put on a show.
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Comment by Margy — April 25, 2019 @ 11:27 pm
There were a childhood favorite always included in a mother’s May Day bouquet and still are today.
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Comment by montucky — April 26, 2019 @ 7:00 am
I’m not sure how I missed this post but I’m glad I found it because these flowers are beautiful, and so are your photos of them!
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — April 26, 2019 @ 3:46 pm
Thanks! I am thankful for the digital camera and its capability to capture even the small ones.
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Comment by montucky — April 26, 2019 @ 4:38 pm
Woo hoo wildflowers: spring has finally come to your area. It’s interesting that neither of the violets is violet.
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Comment by Steve Schwartzman — April 26, 2019 @ 4:59 pm
Oddly enough, the violet violets haven’t started to bloom yet.
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Comment by montucky — April 26, 2019 @ 8:44 pm
Then you have them to look forward to.
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Comment by Steve Schwartzman — April 26, 2019 @ 9:12 pm
Yes, plus many more/
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Comment by montucky — April 26, 2019 @ 9:29 pm
Lovely beauties, so nice to see Spring has sprung finally for you!
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Comment by bayphotosbydonna — April 26, 2019 @ 6:47 pm
Spring was late this year but the plants are now making up for lost time. Now the weather guessers are saying that we have a chance for snow tomorrow night and Sunday.
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Comment by montucky — April 26, 2019 @ 8:46 pm
😲
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Comment by bayphotosbydonna — April 27, 2019 @ 6:06 am
How beautiful. The colours are so vivid. I can hardly wait for things to start blooming here!
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Comment by Candice — April 26, 2019 @ 11:37 pm
It’s certainly one of the most beautiful times of the year. I hope that your spring will beautiful as well.
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Comment by montucky — April 27, 2019 @ 8:07 pm
The fine art of nature. Wonderful photos!!
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Comment by Hanna — April 27, 2019 @ 7:26 am
Thank you Hanna! I think that nature’s art is unsurpassed anywhere.
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Comment by montucky — April 27, 2019 @ 8:08 pm
What a great set of beautiful wild flows. I loved this one very much: Alpine Springbeauty ~ Claytonia megarhiza. Here in my country we got first spring flowers on last week.
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Comment by Sartenada — May 7, 2019 @ 11:31 pm
Thank you! Good to hear that your flowers are blooming now two. That always picks up my spirits!
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Comment by montucky — May 8, 2019 @ 7:16 pm
Beautiful blog – stopped by to see one of the states I love. Live in Arkansas, but have been all over Montana. Wild flowers are so beautiful and you captured them in your camera lens very well.
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Comment by peggyjoan42 — May 31, 2019 @ 4:27 am
Thanks Peggy! Wildflowers have become a passion for me. They are so pretty and some are so small that they are usually overlooked. I do my best to capture their beauty so others who don’t have the opportunity to see them in the wild can also enjoy them. God has indeed given us a beautiful world in which to live and I love and admire His creations!
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Comment by montucky — May 31, 2019 @ 6:19 pm
We have some very small wildflowers in Arkansas that I capture in my camera lens. God’s world certainly is beautiful.
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Comment by peggyjoan42 — June 1, 2019 @ 4:09 am
Yes, many are so small that it takes a camera lens to see them clearly. Amazing little creations!
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Comment by montucky — June 1, 2019 @ 6:42 am
Great photos, but where are all the bugs? Butterflies don’t count 😉
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Comment by The Evolving Naturalist — March 15, 2020 @ 3:01 pm
No posts for a year….does anyone know what’s been happening? I miss this site and the photos and gracious and gentle photographer very much.
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Comment by jessicagurevitch — April 16, 2020 @ 8:40 pm