Last April, I spent a wonderful week photographing wildflowers in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park when I attended the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage. Longtime readers of this blog have seen several photos I took that week. So far, most of the photos have been macro photos of a single wildflower.
Recently, I’ve taken another look at some of the photos from the trip and discovered several that show groups of wildflowers. As I looked at the photos, I remembered just how amazing it was to see so many types of flowers growing together – not in a planned and planted garden. Rather they were growing where they happened to be.
So here are three of my most recently edited photos. I’ll have all three of them available at shows this spring.
First is a hillside of white trilliums, blue phlox, yellow violets and wood anemones photographed along the Cove Hardwood Trail.
Trillium and Blue Phlox (c) 2009 Patty Hankins
Next is a grouping of columbine, purple phacelia and meadow parsnip photographed along Little River Road.
Wild Columbine and Purple Phacelia (c) 2009 Patty Hankins
Finally, some fire pinks and purple phacelia photographed along the Chestnut Top Trail.
Fire Pinks and Purple Phacelia (c) 2009 Patty Hankins
These photos give just a taste of how beautiful the wildflowers are in the Smoky Mountains in the Spring. The 2009 Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage is scheduled for April 22-26. I’ve already made plans to spend that week in the Smokies – photographing more amazing wildflowers.
Patty,
I own a vacation rental property in Maggie Valley. To help promote my property I started a website and a blog. My husband and I spent two weeks last April touring around the Haywood County area on wildflower hikes. I added some info on those hikes to my blog. In looking for links to help visitors i.d. the flowers in their photos I came across your wonderful website. After spending several days behind my inexpensive digital camera, it is easy for me to appreciate your wonderful photos. In looking for these wildflowers, you really need to develop an eye for the delicate, the small and the perishable. I think on your first wildflower hike as a novice you expect to see fields of tall flowers appropriate for vases. These sweet little flowers need a good eye and steady hand to photograph their beauty. Thanks for sharing.