Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Shagnessy Heights

I always find this such a difficult wildflower to photograph - so often, there are only a few of the tiny flowers actually open, creating a very "straggly" plant. This plant had a good number of open flowers on the stem. I usually avoid trying to get photos, but as this was a little better than most I've taken, I wanted to add it to my Plants of Alberta Set. Such a pretty colour.

Not too thrilling a photo, but I did want to add this wild plant to my Plants of Alberta Set. This particular plant was growing wild at Shagnessy Heights, Calgary, but is also found in other parks and natural areas in the city. Keep your eyes open for the small, orange Asparagus Beetle that is sometimes seen on the plant. "Asparagus officinalis is a flowering plant species in the genus Asparagus from which the vegetable known as asparagus is obtained. It is native to most of Europe, northern Africa and western Asia. It is now also widely cultivated as a vegetable crop.... It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 100–150 centimetres (39–59 in) tall, with stout larissa stems with much-branched feathery foliage.... The shoots are prepared and served in a number of ways around the world" From Wikipedia.

On a walk in mid-June at Shaughnessy Heights, we passed a garden where four of these enormous oriental poppies were growing. They are the sort of flower that screams out: "Shoot me!", LOL.

This native plant grows on sandy prairies, sunny slopes where there is dry soil. Flowers are solitary at the end of branches and there are 5 ray florets. In flower early July-September. Though common here, I don't see it all that often - and it is rather difficult to spot.

I say "two-faced" as this silvery-haired seedhead is both beautiful and devastating. It belongs to Yellow Clematis (Clematis tangutica), which was introduced from Japan as an ornamental plant. "Many nurseries warn that it is an aggressive plant once established. Both urban and natural area infestations are becoming more common around Calgary and westward out to the mountain Parks." From the Alberta Invasive Plants Council. This vine will even climb and strangle a large Spruce tree!

This wildflower is an introduced species of vine from Europe and grows with cultivated crops, waste areas, roadsides and fence lines. Grows June-September, and this particular plant was photographed at Shagnessy Heights in Calgary on 26th August. Flowers are white to pinkish and 2-3 cm across. A plant I rarely see.