It’s a little bit Spring

Tucked neatly in between snow flurries these days there have been periods of sunshine, and Nature is proceeding with the inevitable journey toward Summer. The Buttercups which have been in bloom for a month on Buttercup Ridge have now spread to sunlit places along the valley floor

Sagebrush Buttercup Ranunculus glaberrimus

and among them are the tiny white flowers of Whitlow Grass.

Whitlow Grass, Draba verna

Near where these were blooming there was a section of an old abandoned barb-wire fence and it appeared to be a danger to the deer who crossed that hillside on their way to the river to drink. As I knelt down to cut the pieces of old rusted wire, this very early bloom of Woodland Star became visible, perhaps as a small reward for my effort.

Woodland Star, Lithophragma parviflorum

April flowers

Our western Montana wildflowers are now well into their spring routine and although I had hoped to show them as they bloom and spotlight each one, alas, I have fallen behind and must try to catch up in the next several posts by showing several at a time. This time of year, each hike uncovers several new blooms. It’s a wonderful time of year!

Arrow-leaved Balsamroot, Balsamorhiza sagittata

Spring Draba, Spring Whitlow Grass, Whitlow Grass, Draba Verna

Spring Draba, Spring Whitlow Grass, Whitlow Grass, Draba Verna

Desert Parsley, Suksdorf’s desert-parsley, Lomatium suksdorfii

Glacier Lily, Avalanche Lily, Dogtoothed Violet, Erythronium grandiflorum

Glacier Lily, Avalanche Lily, Dogtoothed Violet, Erythronium grandiflorum

Glacier Lily, Avalanche Lily, Dogtoothed Violet, Erythronium grandiflorum

Glacier Lily, Avalanche Lily, Dogtoothed Violet, Erythronium grandiflorum