Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: cone

Three days ago, on 1 October 2016, I finally had my very first visit to the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens, thanks to friend, Sandy. I first heard about this beautiful place from my daughter, but I had never been, because it is way out of my driving comfort zone. In the morning, it was raining, at least in my part of the city, and I wondered if going would turn out to be a big mistake. However, the rain stayed away while we were there and, though the sky was overcast, I was still able to photograph to my heart's content. I was surprised at how many flowers were still in bloom on the first day of October and I was extremely impressed with how meticulously these gardens are kept - every inch of them. So many different kinds of trees and plants, and it was very obvious that each area had been planted with so much thought and care. Amazing that dedicated volunteers have been, and continue to be, the ones to thank for these gardens. Couldn't resist taking a quick shot of one of the beautiful Larch trees. Their colour in the fall is just so spectacular. Seeing them in the mountains, mixed in with the dark green of the coniferous trees, is especially breathtaking. Thanks so much, Sandy, for giving me the chance to spend an afternoon in such beauty and peace! After our walk in the Gardens, I went back to Sandy's place and we had an early supper. We all know that snow isn't far away - it has fallen in parts of the mountains, but not yet in the city - so I am trying to get out as much as I can before having to deal with the long, dreaded months of winter. Apologies to everyone for not much commenting at the moment!! "The Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs is without doubt one of the Seven Wonders of Calgary, Alberta. It boasts 1350 square meters (14 600 square feet) of gardens which includes a spectacular Wall Garden that runs an uninterrupted 1300 feet. In the gardens you will find an endless variety of annuals and perennials ranging from artemisias to zinnias. Here indeed is a place to stop and smell the roses and the peonies and the delphiniums and the chrysanthemums and the … What makes these gardens so very special is that they were created and continue to be maintained by a band of green-thumbed enthusiastic volunteers. These hale and hearty diggers, planters, seeders, weeders, mowers, waterers, pruners and community builders work two to three mornings a week to keep the gardens in primrose shape and their efforts are truly appreciated by the many walkers, joggers, and cyclists. On any given day, hundreds of people walk the wall garden with their families, friends and out-of-town visitors. It has become a treasured destination site for many. For anyone who has spent time in the gardens, it is hard to believe that they have only been here since 2006 when a humble ornamental garden (400 square feet) was developed within the existing BirthPlace Forest tree beds. The BPF, by the way, saw 7000 trees planted in the area. The project was accomplished through a partnership of BP Energy, Calgary Parks, Regional Health and Golden Acres." From the gardens' website. www.botanicalgardensofsilversprings.ca/

It's always a treat to come across a Limber Pine and this particular tree was growing in a rocky spot on the wind-swept ridge at the Timber Ridge Conservation Area, on 3 August 2015. The droplets of sap on the immature green cones looked so beautiful - macro shot posted yesterday. The seeds are dispersed by the Clark's Nutcracker / Nucifraga columbiana. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_flexilis The first words in an article from 3 October 2014, in The Western Producer, are as follows: "High in southern Alberta’s Porcupine Hills, where west winds wrestle the golden leaves of water birch and tickle the limber pines, water trickles from hidden springs into troughs at the Timber Ridge Conservation Site. That’s where the bears bathe." Well, we found out that the bathing bears was so very true, even if the bathing /swimming was not in the usual place, lol! We had seen no sign of large wildlife all day, so the sighting of a Black Bear at the end of the day was a real treat. This 640 acre site is located approximately 20 km southwest of Nanton. Other wildlife that can be seen include "moose, elk, white-tailed and mule deer, grizzly and black bear, cougar, grouse and a variety of small mammals and songbirds." I had never been to the Porcupine Hills, but had read and heard about this area for a number of years and had longed to go. Lying south of Calgary and southwest of Nanton, it is an area of beautiful, rolling hills. This is where Glen and Kelly Hall "have a co-tenancy agreement with the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA), the first one ever established between that organization and private landholders. They own 68 percent of the site and the ACA owns the balance." "“We have a ranching operation right smack in the middle of a pretty important watershed. Our cows are our tools in order to look after the grass, which looks after the land, which looks after the watershed.” The drive from Calgary took maybe an hour and a half (?), with rain falling on the way there, and we were greeted with a warm welcome down at the lowest level. It was suggested that we make our way straight up to the highest point and then to take our time coming back down. The first part of that journey was travelling in something new and fun to all of us - in a horse trailer! How DO horses make such a mess over every inch, lol?! After that, we climbed higher and higher, sometimes with the aid of an amazing little vehicle - a Kubota. I was in awe at how this tough little machine was able to travel over the roughest of land - rocks, deep ruts, uphill, downhill. We had some of the curious cattle follow us in places - several different breeds, and all looking beautiful and so healthy. The rain stopped by the time we first arrived, but the mountains were hidden in haze (from the weather and possibly from forest fires). Far from ideal conditions for taking scenic shots of the surrounding hills and valleys, unfortunately. Wonderful views in every direction. By the afternoon, the temperature had risen to 31°C (about 88°F)! Glen and Kelly, a delightful, enthusiastic couple, plan to conserve the site, but they don’t plan to keep it to themselves. “Ultimately, one day, we want yellow school buses at the gates and we want kids here in numbers and we want them to learn where their water is, where the food is created,” said Kelly. “We want them to learn about the trees and the grass because we have a lot of native species on this land that haven’t been interfered with.” Thank you so much, both of you, for making this day so enjoyable and a great learning experience. We have a great deal of respect for what you are doing and how you are doing it. With all the exciting plans that you have for this amazing area, we know you will do well. Thank you for letting us do a bio-inventory of the living things on the 640 acre Timber Ridge Conservation Site! There is just so much I could write about this special place, but will add several links below for further information in case anyone is interested to learn more. www.producer.com/2014/10/landowners-eager-to-share-piece-... www.albertaefp.com/news/96-ranchers-passion-drives-a-thou... www.albertadiscoverguide.com/site.cfm?grid=F3&number=36 www.westernranchlands.ca/company-overview/advisory-board/... guddling.tumblr.com/post/61370115303/we-were-given-a-tour...

It's always a treat to come across a Limber Pine and this particular tree was growing in a rocky spot on the wind-swept ridge at the Timber Ridge Conservation Area, on 3 August 2015. The droplets of sap on the immature green cones looked so beautiful. The seeds are dispersed by the Clark's Nutcracker / Nucifraga columbiana. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_flexilis The first words in an article from 3 October 2014, in The Western Producer, are as follows: "High in southern Alberta’s Porcupine Hills, where west winds wrestle the golden leaves of water birch and tickle the limber pines, water trickles from hidden springs into troughs at the Timber Ridge Conservation Site. That’s where the bears bathe." Well, we found out that the bathing bears was so very true, even if the bathing /swimming was not in the usual place, lol! We had seen no sign of large wildlife all day, so the sighting of a Black Bear at the end of the day was a real treat. This 640 acre site is located approximately 20 km southwest of Nanton. Other wildlife that can be seen include "moose, elk, white-tailed and mule deer, grizzly and black bear, cougar, grouse and a variety of small mammals and songbirds." I had never been to the Porcupine Hills, but had read and heard about this area for a number of years and had longed to go. Lying south of Calgary and southwest of Nanton, it is an area of beautiful, rolling hills. This is where Glen and Kelly Hall "have a co-tenancy agreement with the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA), the first one ever established between that organization and private landholders. They own 68 percent of the site and the ACA owns the balance." "“We have a ranching operation right smack in the middle of a pretty important watershed. Our cows are our tools in order to look after the grass, which looks after the land, which looks after the watershed.” The drive from Calgary took maybe an hour and a half (?), with rain falling on the way there, and we were greeted with a warm welcome down at the lowest level. It was suggested that we make our way straight up to the highest point and then to take our time coming back down. The first part of that journey was travelling in something new and fun to all of us - in a horse trailer! How DO horses make such a mess over every inch, lol?! After that, we climbed higher and higher, sometimes with the aid of an amazing little vehicle - a Kubota. I was in awe at how this tough little machine was able to travel over the roughest of land - rocks, deep ruts, uphill, downhill. We had some of the curious cattle follow us in places - several different breeds, and all looking beautiful and so healthy. The rain stopped by the time we first arrived, but the mountains were hidden in haze (from the weather and possibly from forest fires). Far from ideal conditions for taking scenic shots of the surrounding hills and valleys, unfortunately. Wonderful views in every direction. By the afternoon, the temperature had risen to 31°C (about 88°F)! Glen and Kelly, a delightful, enthusiastic couple, plan to conserve the site, but they don’t plan to keep it to themselves. “Ultimately, one day, we want yellow school buses at the gates and we want kids here in numbers and we want them to learn where their water is, where the food is created,” said Kelly. “We want them to learn about the trees and the grass because we have a lot of native species on this land that haven’t been interfered with.” Thank you so much, both of you, for making this day so enjoyable and a great learning experience. We have a great deal of respect for what you are doing and how you are doing it. With all the exciting plans that you have for this amazing area, we know you will do well. Thank you for letting us do a bio-inventory of the living things on the 640 acre Timber Ridge Conservation Site! There is just so much I could write about this special place, but will add several links below for further information in case anyone is interested to learn more. www.producer.com/2014/10/landowners-eager-to-share-piece-... www.albertaefp.com/news/96-ranchers-passion-drives-a-thou... www.albertadiscoverguide.com/site.cfm?grid=F3&number=36 www.westernranchlands.ca/company-overview/advisory-board/... guddling.tumblr.com/post/61370115303/we-were-given-a-tour...

I just never seem to get a sharp (macro) photo of one of these Larch tree baby cones, but I thought this was too pretty not to post. These flower-like baby cones always fascinate me. If you happen to know where there is a Larch tree, take a look at the branches at the right time of the year. They have a number of these along the branches and when you see them up close, they really are very attractive. They start off a deep pinky purple and become paler as they open fully. Photographed at the Reader Rock Garden on 7 May 2014.

Just what is needed after a day of hiking! This was just a "single" - so glad I didn't ask for a "double"! Don't you just love someone who asks "Would anyone like to stop at ? and get an ice cream?"? This day, our stop was at the Boulton Creek Trading Post. Of course, I then felt desperately thirsty for the whole journey back to Calgary, ha! Enjoyed on August 7th, after hiking the Sarrail Falls trail and the Mt. Everest trail at Kananaskis Lakes, Kananaskis.

This very small Puffball was seen on our Pocaterra Cirque hike on 25th July. Puffball sp., Lycoperdon sp. I love the texture of its surface.

I loved the way the sunlight made the snow glisten.

I can never remember which cone belongs to which kind of Spruce tree, even though I was told this just yesterday morning - this was maybe 3" in length.

This is a cone belonging to a Siberian Larch tree, seen at Pearce Estate. "The Siberian Larch or Russian Larch (Larix sibirica; syn. L. russica) is a frost-hardy tree native to western Russia. It is a medium-size to large deciduous coniferous tree reaching 20-40 m tall, with a trunk up to 1 m diameter. The crown is conic when young, becoming broad with age; the main branches are level to upswept, with the side branches often pendulous. It is most easily distinguished from the closely related European Larch by the shoots being downy (hairless in European Larch). The leaves are needle-like, light green, 2-4 cm long, and turn bright yellow before they fall in the autumn, leaving the pale yellow-buff shoots bare until the next spring. The male and female cones are borne separately on the same tree; pollination is in early spring. The male cones are solitary, yellow, globose to oblong, 4-8 mm diameter, and produce wingless pollen. The mature female cones are erect, ovoid-conic, 2-4 cm long, with 30-70 erect or slightly incurved (not reflexed) and downy seed scales; they are green variably flushed red when immature, turning brown and opening to release the winged seeds when mature, 4-6 months after pollination. The old cones commonly remain on the tree for many years, turning dull grey-black. Because of its rot resistance, larch wood is especially valuable for posts, poles, railroad tie sleepers, and mine props. It is grown in Canada and the northern United States to a limited extent, first cultivated there in 1806. It is faster-growing than many other coniferous trees in cold regions, but requires full sunlight." From Wikipedia.

This is how you tell a Douglas-fir cone from other cones! Many of the awe-inspiring, majestic Douglas-fir trees in Bowness Park have trunk diameters of over four feet, and tower over 100 feet high. They are 400-500 years old. The hyphen in the common name indicates that Douglas-firs are not true firs; i.e. they are not members of the genus Abies. Oban's Myths & Legends: "The Mouse and the Douglas-Fir Cone Retold by: Claralynn Nunamaker Laytonville California Long, long ago there lived a mouse in the forest. The mouse was fearful all day and all night, for the sly fox always tried to catch him and eat up him. The mouse was very clever and was able to hide from the fox for a long, long time. But one day, he let his attention wander, and before he knew it, the fox was right there! The mouse was very scared and ran off as fast as he could. But he knew the fox was faster, so frantically he searched for a place to hide. He spied a cone that he thought was big enough to hide him, so he scurried inside. Well, he was hidden well enough that the fox couldn't find him, but really the cone was too small. And to this day, you can see the hind legs and the tail of the mouse sticking out from the Douglas-fir cone, where he is STILL hiding from the fox! The End" (Taken from www.planetozkids.com) A Californian Native American myth explains that each of the three-ended bracts are a tail and two tiny legs of the mice who hid inside the scales of the tree's cones, which was kind enough to be the enduring sanctuary for them during forest fires. (From Wikipedia).

"The bristlecone pines are a small group of pine trees (Family Pinaceae, genus Pinus, subsection Balfourianae) that can reach an age far greater than that of any other single living organism known, up to nearly 5,000 years." (Wikipedia). This particular tree is in Calgary and we passed it on our Bird Count yesterday morning.

There is such a variety of "stuff" on the floor of the forest. A great mixture of textures and colours.