In a few weeks this ordinary looking field will be covered with wildflowers, Camas lily, farewell to spring, columbine, candy flower, shooting star and more. I plan to record the succession of blooming plants as much as possible in the coming weeks and months. Pretty soon it will be a challenge to keep up! Fortunately, this property is rarely visited, and the path is a wide, a former wagon trail, so in this time of ‘social distancing’, I can safely come here.
I am chronicling the tremendous variety of botanical riches in this rare and endangered ecosystem near the lower Columbia River in Oregon. Once the Willamette Valley and many places along the Columbia River Corridor were characterized by oak savanna. The dappled shade cast by the oaks creates the perfect environment for a wide variety of prairie and woodland plants…a carpet of wildflowers in spring. Most of these oak meadows have been lost to development. This is one of the few left and we are not sure how long it will remain. For more information go here.
What early signs of spring are you noticing where you live?
This blog is about my journey as a botanical artist--what I am learning, what inspires me and what I am currently drawing or painting. My desire is to continually hone my skills to better express my wonder and gratitude for the beauty of the creation around me in the Pacific Northwest (USA).
I’m in love! So cool to be able to see your first sketches–the studies–the study process that comes before more formal or finalized paintings. In my imagination, knowing your intent for future studies of this particular Camas Bluff–these field sketches alone would be a very cool book!!
You definitely succeeded in capturing the glowing colors of the Lance-leaved Sedum <3 <3 <3
What was the date of this field visit? (Did I miss it?)
Hi Alyse, Thanks–I am so glad that you enjoyed the sketches! I was up there about 2 weeks ago and am definitely due for another visit. I like to do sketches in pencil in the field, then ‘ink them in’ later in my studio. Since these plants were soooo small, I had to rely on enlarged photos, as well as my own observations.
Wonderful! I love your style!
Thank you so much, Anneke!
I find your website very informative on the native and wild plants growing in Oregon, plus your illustrations are very nice.. It is coincidental that we are both are illustrating and recording some of the same live plants growing in each others separate states . At the present time I am painting the native plants that habitat the island I live on in the middle of Puget Sound, Whidbey Island.
My source for the illustrations is the Pacific Rim Institute where the live plants are protected and reproduced, and Ebey’s Landing in Coupeville. I look forward to browse through your posts about each plant during its season of bloom. Thank you for sharing.
Lois, How wonderful that you have those protected natural areas on Whidbey Island! The next time I go to Whidbey, I will check them out. Thanks for letting me know that you have embarked on a similar project. Do you have a website or do you post about your project online?