FLOWERS

Issue 17, Autumn 2022

Goldenrod blooms in midsummer. photo by Thomas Noland

FLOWERS

Issue 17, Autumn 2022

Sara & Thomas Noland, Guest Managing Editors

Table of Contents is below this intro

Welcome to the fall 2022 issue of Salish Magazine. This issue is focused on flowers, which might seem odd for the fall season, but in fact this is a great time to appreciate the fall bloomers. Fall is also the time when many gardeners start to think about adding perennial plants to their yards, taking advantage of the upcoming winter rains to help new plants get their roots established. And of course it’s never too early to learn about some plants you might not be familiar with so you can be on the lookout for them next spring.

Cooley’s hedge-nettle in a suburban garden. photo by Sara Noland

Bumblebee on salmonberry flower in early spring. photo by Thomas Noland

The Salish Sea region is home to dozens of native flowering plant species. While natives are often recognized for their value to pollinators and wildlife, the variety and beauty of native flowering plants is also worthy of study and celebration. Native flower shapes range from daisy-like to tubular; flowers appear as single blooms on long stems or in glorious sprays of tiny blossoms; and in colors from neon pink and yellow through subtle pinks and creams. With a little practice you can learn to spot flowers throughout most of the year — brightening dark forests in early spring, glowing with color throughout the summer, persisting in more mellow shades late into fall.

Big leaf maple flowers. photo by John F. Williams

In this issue, you can learn about flowering native shrubs and trees, which are often overlooked in favor of dramatic wildflowers like orchids, lilies, and the other low-growing beauties along woodland trails. (For example, if you take the time to look up, the pendulous flowers of a big-leaf maple are dramatic in their own right, particularly on an overcast spring day.) Much has been said lately about the vital importance of native flowers for native pollinators, and this issue’s article provides insights on that topic.

Orange honeysuckle, a flowering native vine. photo by Sara Noland

Flowers pop up in places you might not expect. Most folks are familiar with the common dandelion that lights up lawns in the springtime; is this non-native plant really all bad? Even the sidewalks under our feet can support a diversity of flowers (along with insects and other creatures).

The prairie lands of our region support special flowering plants and insects that rely upon them. Prairies are beloved for their flush of spring flowers, but what happens to the insects later in the season when the camas and other natives have gone to seed? This issue provides interesting facts and theories about the seasonal succession of flowers on the prairie.

Douglas aster flowers in September. photo by Thomas Noland

We’ll leave you with photos of a few of our favorite flowers from our own yard, neighborhood, and local parks—a diversity of colors and shapes throughout the year. Hope you enjoy the articles in this issue and are inspired to learn more about native flowers.

Big-leaf lupine, a species we planted in our garden. photo by Thomas Noland

Osoberry is one of the first flowers to appear in lowland forests early in the year. photo by Sara Noland

Red-flowering currant, an early spring flowering shrub favored by hummingbirds. photo by Thomas Noland

Issue 17, Table of Contents

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