Cold Weather Flowers

 

Galanthus Snowdrops

Our cold weather has ended in northwest Washington. It reached 50 F today with misty rain. Given that I had a water venture via kyak I was glad for the warm up although it was 43 F with light rain when I started out.

I noted the above snowdrops on a morning walk about when the temperature was 18 F. They get a head start on the grass next to chunk of the British Columbia Coast Range brough by the last glacial period. 

On the same walk I noted Salix scouleriana in bloom in a sunny spot at the edge of the forest. 

This willow is a native tree. Further back in the forest there is willow that fell a few years ago. The tree was 60 feet tall before falling. But the tree is still alive and the willow patch has thus begun to expand.

During the cold period the patch of Helleborus that had been in full bloom before the cold had hunkered down in its shady north aspect location. 

But post cold the flowers had opened up again.