Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: hillsides

I'd never seen these regular, very tiny Cladonia growing on soil on a dry, open hillside before (photo is macro, of course. Most people would never notice them). I always thought they were to be found in the forest. Fascinating little things - Shrek Ears, Golf Tees, Pixie Cups ..... LOL. (This sample was being collected to be examined further at home by one of our botany members.) Found on a botanizing trip yesterday to the Western Sky Land Trust's Wheatland #1, formerly Jack Nodwell’s Property, 59 acres of land near Carseland, Alberta.

This was one of the places we went to yesterday. We spent the morning being shown around the absolutely amazing homestead gardens belonging to Jim Coutts, south of Calgary, near Nanton. This included a display area of various native grasses. After lunch, Jim took us to a beautiful property not too far from Nanton, where the owner had very generously said we were welcome to hike and botanize these nearby rolling hills. There were scattered outcrops of rocks, which I love, usually covered in brightly coloured lichens. Southern Alberta has such wonderful scenery, from the Rocky Mountains, to rolling hills, to flat prairie grasslands. We are so lucky : )