by hankinslawrenceimages | Nov 27, 2010 | Colorado, Flowers, Wildflowers
Colorado Wildflowers (c) 2010 Patty Hankins
One of things that amazed me the most on my trip to Colorado this summer was just how big the landscapes are in the western mountains! I’m usually do my photography in the eastern US – where quite simply – the landscape tends to be smaller. The clear blue skies in Colorado were another wonderful discovery. I photographed this wildflower hillside in the Gunnison National Forest north of Crested Butte. I love how the wildflowers lead up to the trees, that lead to the rocky mountain face – with a little snow even in the middle of July – more mountains in the distance – all under a spectacular blue sky filled with puffy white clouds. It took me a few days to figure out how to photograph such a wide scene. I’m really glad I kept trying – since this is one of my favorite photographs from my trip. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Colorado Wildflowers is available as either an 12X18″, 20X30″ or 30X46″ gallery-wrapped canvas. You can order Colorado Wildflowers from my website and I will have it available at shows this year.
by hankinslawrenceimages | Oct 9, 2010 | Colorado, Flowers, Photo Locations, Wildflowers
This summer while hiking on Cliff Creek Trail toward Beckwith Pass in the Gunnison National Forest, I photographed several Case’s Fitweed (corydalis caseana) plants. It was the only spot during my trip that I saw the Case’s Fitweed – and it took me a while to identify what this unique looking plant was.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Case’s Fitweed is a member of the fumewort family (Fumariaceae). It is native to the western United States found in California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington. In Washington, it is listed as threatened.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Case’s Fitweed is a perennial mid-summer blooming flower. The plants grow to 3-4 feet tall. The flowers grow in spikes with many white or pink flowers. One distinctive aspect of the flowers is the purple tip. The flowers grow up to about an inch in length. It’s native habitat is shady moist mountain areas.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Case’s Fitweed is poisonous to livestock. The alkaloids in the plant causes fits in sheep – which led to it’s common name of Fitweed. As with many plants that are toxic to livestock, people should avoid consuming Case’s Fitweed since it may be toxic to humans as well.
In 1874, the plants were named after Professor Eliphalet Lewis Case, a school teacher and plant collector.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
If you’d like more information about Case’s Fitweed – here are some online sites with more info
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Southwest Colorado Wildflowers
USDA Plant Profiles
Weeds and Wildflowers
Wildflowers by Turner Photographics
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
by hankinslawrenceimages | Oct 6, 2010 | Colorado, Flowers, New Photos, Photo Locations, Wildflowers
Silvery Lupine (c) 2010 Patty Hankins
I’ve recently added a new photo – Silvery Lupine – to my Beautifulflowerpictures.com website.
One of the first new to me wildflowers I photographed on my trip to Colorado this summer was Silvery Lupine (lupinus argenteus). In several locations I found stands of beautitful white and purple blossoms of the Silvery Lupine. I photographed this set in the Gunnison National Forest north of Crested Butte. This photograph is one of the ones that remind me how special it was seeing the wildflowers in Colorado – beautiful flowers in the foreground, mountains in the distance and incredible bright blue Colorado skies. I had a wonderful trip to Colorado this year – I can’t wait to head back for more wildflowers. Maybe next year . . .
This photograph is available as either an 12X15″ or 20X26″ gallery-wrapped canvas. You can order Silvery Lupine from my website and I will have it available at shows this year.
by hankinslawrenceimages | Oct 2, 2010 | Colorado, Flowers, News, Photo Locations, Photo of the Month, Wildflowers
Colorado Blue Columbine (c) 2010 Patty Hankins
One of my goals on my trip to Colorado this summer was to photograph the Colorado Blue Columbine, the Colorado State Flower. I photographed the Colorado Blue Columbine in several places – each time thinking WOW! These are wonderful. I’m not going to find any better than these. And then I got to Yankee Boy Basin in the San Juan Mountains. I was a little further south and at a higher altitude than I had been at previously. The Columbine at Yankee Boy Basin were the most the beautiful I saw during my entire trip. I really like the way this set of five blossoms clustered together – a beautiful composition created by Mother Nature for me to photograph. I hope you enjoy this Colorado Blue Columbine photograph as much as I do.
Until October 31, 2010, SAVE 20% off the regular prices for Colorado Blue Columbine. The photograph is available through my website in two sizes of gallery-wrapped canvases.
Save $ 20 on the 12X18″ Canvas – regular price $ 99 – October Photo of the Month Price – $ 79.00
Save $ $ 80 on the 20X30″ Canvas – regular price $ 399 – October Photo of the Month Price – $ 319.00
Free shipping to U.S. Addresses for either size photograph.
As with all photographs from BeautifulFlowerPictures.com, Colorado Blue Columbine comes with my Unconditional Happiness Guarantee. You have one year to decide that it is the perfect photograph for you. If it’s not, just return it (in original condition) for a full refund.
by hankinslawrenceimages | Sep 27, 2010 | Colorado, Flowers, New Photos, Photo Locations, Wildflowers
Colorado Blue Columbine (c) 2010 Patty Hankins
I’ve recently added a new photo – Colorado Blue Columbine – to my Beautifulflowerpictures.com website.
Here’s another wildflower from Colorado. As I started learning about Colorado wildflowers, the Colorado Blue Columbine (Aquilegia caerula) quickly made it to the top of my flowers I wanted to photograph list. I’ve photographed the Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) several times but hadn’t photographed any of the other wild varieties. I was thrilled to find several beautiful sets of the Colorado Blue Columbine to photograph on my trip. I photographed this set at Yankee Boy Basin in the San Juan Mountains. Colorado Blue Columbine is the state flower of Colorado.
This photograph is available as either an 12X18″ or 20X30″ gallery-wrapped canvas. You can order Colorado Blue Columbine from my website and I will have it available at shows this year.
by hankinslawrenceimages | Sep 8, 2010 | Colorado, Flowers, Linaceae Family, New Photos, Photo Locations, Wildflowers
Western Blue Flax (c) 2010 Patty Hankins
I’ve just added a new photo – Western Blue Flax – to my Beautifulflowerpictures.com website.
One of the wonderful surprises from my trip to Colorado earlier this summer was all the wonderful wildflowers in shades of blues and purples! For some reason, I don’t see as many blue and purple flowers mid-summer on the East Coast as I was seeing the Rocky Mountains. One of my favorites was the Western Blue Flax (Lewisii linum). I was a little confused by the Western Blue Flax when I first saw it – it would be blooming beautifully in the morning – and by afternoon there wouldn’t be any blossoms on what I thought were the same plants I’d seen earlier in the day. It turns out that this flax does bloom early in the day – and loses it’s blossoms as the day progresses. I photographed this set of Western Blue Flax in an alpine meadow in the Gunnison National Forest on a morning hike.
This photograph is available as either an 10X10″ or 20X20″ gallery-wrapped canvas. You can order Western Blue Flax from my website and I will have it available at shows this year.
