Saturday, May 16, 2009

Sunflower Meadows

Find this pretty trail in the foothills above Red Butte Gardens.

Bad Dog packed his party bandanna and took off on a desert camping trip... without me.

I don't know that I've ever had really high self-esteem but it's lower these days because I can't even compete with a dog and win. He's way more popular than I am.

For the next few weeks these mountain meadows will be saturated with big, cheery sunflower impostors. Do you know what they really are?*

There is an upside to the dog heading down south for the weekend. We got to spend our Friday Afternoon Club on one of those No Mutts Allowed! trails.

So, I guess we showed him.

Swallowtails were in 7th heaven, along the Mountain Meadow Trail.

Who Could it Be?

Is this big yellow wildflower a:
  • Curly Cup Gumweed
  • Mountain Meadow Groundsel
  • Showy Goldeneye
The hiking trails above Red Butte Gardens are speckled with wildflowers. Well worth the $6 fee.

* However! If you're feeling slightly broke, (and who isn't, these days???) Make a right turn, right before you enter the Red Butte Gardens drive. Grab the first on-street parking space you see. Look on the east side of the street to find the first of the free trails that winds up into the foothills. These trails allow dogs and they don't cost you a dime.

5 comments:

Wunx~ said...

I don't know why, but James Bond music was playing in the background of my mind as I read this post...

Iron Needles said...

In Colorado, we call them another DYC...d*m yellow composite...

Love your crazy daisies.

So glad spring is finally here. So glad.

Granny J said...

Iron Needles' answer is pretty good. It definitely isn't a gumweed; otherwise, I'm flummoxed as we don't have a sunflower imposter in the spring -- that waits for late summer. Wish we had those lovely blue forget-me-nots.

Anonymous said...

Aren't they Mules Ears??

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Yes, Anonymous, you are correct. They're Mule Ears. But, it wasn't a trick question. I didn't have a clue what they were so I was hoping a smarter person might tell me. :D