North Mountain Hikes

Mountain Laurel on North Mountain Trail.

In the past two weekends I've had the opportunity to hike on North Mountain. The first Saturday was a Virginia Native Plant Society (VNPS) organized hike, and although I had been there with them the previous fall, I missed the turn and had to back track to find the road--I ended up arriving quite late. By the time I got to the site, the group had already started out.

 

Minniebush flowers (Rhododendrum pilosum)

 

Fortunately, being plant people, VNPS folks don't cover a lot of ground in a hurry, and I found them only about 40 yards up the trail. The weather was splendid, and seeing familiar faces: Sally, Emily, and Richard, all expert plant ID'ers, was wonderful--I always learn so much from them. Running into my friend Lori was an extra treat--we had no idea we'd both signed up for the hike! 

 

Blueberries along the trail (Vaccinium angustifolium)

Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)

Mountain Laurel in bud.

 

Mountain Laurel grows profusely all around this area, but it was still mostly in bud, with only a few flowers open on the lower slopes. We spotted some pink Ladyslippers blooming along the trail.

 

Pink ladyslipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule)

Another pink Ladyslipper orchid.

 
We foundd a number of young American chestnut trees growing--this area must have had quite a number of these trees back in the 1920's before the blight killed them off, and saplings frequently sprout from the dead stumps. Unfortunately, these never reach maturity, as the blight attacks them just as they reach the size when the bark starts to furrow.

 

Young American chestnut tree (Castanea dentata)

Going up the trail, we saw two pink native azaleas in bloom--Roseshell azaleas (Rhododendron prinophyllum), which are fragrant. One had some galls on it,caused by a fungus called Exobasidium, which doesn't harm the plant too much. Oddly enough these are the only two azaleas of this species we found--why in this particular spot, I wonder?

 

Roseshell azalea (Rhododendron prinophyllum)

Roseshell azalea with Exobasidium gall.

Near the top of the mountain we saw some young witch hazel trees with witches' hat galls caused by the Witch Hazel Cone Gall (Hormaphis hamamelidis). 

Cone galls on witch hazel tree.

The view opens up as one reaches the top of the mountain, where a few Table Mountain Pines grow along with pitch pines. I learned a new botanical term, "epicormic," to describe the new growth that sprouts from the trunks of the pitch pines. There were plenty in evidence on these, a sure way to identify them, as this doesn't occur in other species of pine.

 

View near the top of North Mountain.

Epicormic sprouts on pitch pine trunk.

The view from the top, at Eagle Rock, is amazing, and on this sunny, cool spring day the greens and blues of the distant mountains were just spectacular!

 

The view from Eagle Rock.

 

My friend Lori and I on Eagle Rock

 

We had such fun that Lori and I agreed to repeat the hike the following Saturday just by ourselves, hoping that the mountain laurel flowers would be further along toward full bloom. After a very rainy week, we met there to walk the trail on another gorgeous, sunny yet cool morning.

 

Mountain Laurel on the hillside.

Mountain laurel in full bloom.

Just we we'd hoped, the woods were alive with the blossoms of Mountain Laurel--a riot of pale pink! The lower slopes were almost fully out, although higher up, the laurel was still mostly in bud. 

 

Close up of the flowers.

 I had in mind to take a couple of sprigs with blossoms home to paint, so we took a side trail looking for places where I could do so unobtrusively. Along the fire road which the hunting club maintains, we found some huge bracken ferns.

 

Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum)

 

There were many folks on the trail this morning, some with young children--always nice to see young people enjoying the woods. The Roseshell azalea, so lovely the previous week was about done blooming by now. 

 

View from Eagle Rock

The view from the top is always spectacular! This young red oak sapling near the top of the mountain caught my eye, it was such an amazing color.

 

Red oak sapling.

 

On the way back we took the side trail again and I cut and carefully packed my samples for a new painting of  Mountain Laurel--I hope it turns out well. North Mountain is such a a beautiful place!

 

 

May 2025 Bloom Day

Along my front walk.

Azalea 'General Semmes'

In the last couple of days my Zone 6B garden in Virginia has received over five inches of rain! Most anxiously welcome after such a prolonged drought, with this rain my garden is verdant and lush for May Bloom Day, hosted by Carol Michel's May Dreams Garden blog. Welcome to my May garden!

Starting along the front walk, I had moved all the plants that were on the porch and rear deck back indoors and to places under my cherry tree in front. My contractor was supposed to start on Monday to refurbish the back deck and do other exterior chores, but the predictions of rain forced them to re-schedule. It was too much trouble to put everything back where it was, so the plants will stay here until the contractor finishes.

My azalea 'General Semmes' is still presenting one last inflorescence while the Amaryllis bulbs are mostly finished blooming, though a few buds persist. The tropical Salvias and white Heliotrope along the front walk will bloom later in the year.

The first bud of the 'Red Double Knockout' rose is opening.

 

First bud of  "Red Double Knockour' rose.

 

Starting along the east side of the house, my 'Blue Barlow' Columbines didn't have as much bloom as on other years, but still a respectable amount.

 

Columbine 'Blue Barlow' with Japanese Hakone grass.

 

Surprisingly, the Lamium 'Orchid Frost' is starting to bloom in the woodland garden under the Japanese maples. Here's hoping it will spread.

 

Lamium 'Orchid Frost' with Allium moly beyond.

Lamium 'Orchid Frost' with Ajuga 'Black Scallop'.

Moving toward the back yard, Herb's bed is looking wonderful with the Allium christophii planted last fall and peony 'Duchesse de Nemours' starting to bloom. The Foxglove Pentstemon in the same bed is also opening up. Later, the Clary sage there will start to bloom in June.

 

Allium christophii with Clary sage and "Duchesse de Nemours; beyond.

Peony 'Duchesse de Nemours'

Foxglove Pentstemon.

 

The Thread-leaf blue stars (Amsonia hubrichtii) in the Little Indians bed are blooming and the butterfly weed in front (Asclepias tuberosa) is in bud.

 

Amsonia hubrichtii with Asclepis tuberosa in bud.

The Ninebark tree 'Coppertina' is blooming in the badlands, and the Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) is sporting its blooms too. A few red Columbines (Aquilegia canadense) persist  in the shade of the back bed. The deer ate my Thalictrum, so no blooms this year.

 

Ninebark tree 'Coppertina (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Coppertina')

Kousa dogwood.

 

Native Columbines in the back bed.

In the back bed, the abundant spikes of the Verbascum 'Southern Charm' that were so pretty earlier in the week, are splayed out under the weight of the rains, but Salvia 'Pink Profusion' is offering more blooming spikes.

 

Verbascum 'Southern Charm'

 

Salvia 'Pink Profusion'

 

It was a nice surprise was to see that my still-small Mock Orange tree (Philadelphus 'Cheyenne') had produced some flowers--last year the deer ate every bud. Its flowers aren't as showy as some other cultivars, but still lovely!

 

Mock Orange (Philadelphus 'Cheyenne')

 

The long island bed has a marvelous display with deep purple Dutch iris, red honeysuckle 'Major Wheeler,' some blooms of double-flowering quince, Clematis 'Walker' and bearded iris 'Victoria Falls.'

 

My back yard on May Bloom Day

Dutch iris

'Major Wheeler' red honeysuckle with double-flowering quince beyond.

Clematis 'Walker'

 

Iris 'Victoria Falls'

 

Another variety of Blue Star (Amsonia montana) is blooming  in the bed with the Yellowwood tree, with white Salvia and yellow Helianthus beyond.

 

Amsonia montana

White Salvia with Helianthus.

 

Another Ninebark tree,. 'Amber Jubilee' is blooming in front of the Japanese maple 'Amber Ghost.' No signs of buds on the Yellowwood, I'll have to wait another year for a glimpse.

 

 

Ninebark tree 'Amber Jubilee' with Yellowwood tree in back.

 

On the west side of the house, the spikes of Salvia 'May Night' make a contrast with the yellow Helianthus, and Catmint Nepeta Walker's Low' below Clematis 'Appleblossom' climbing up to the deck railing.

 

 

Salvia 'May Night' and Helianthus

Catmint 'Walker's Low' with Clematis 'Appleblossom'

 

Viburnum 'Cardinal Candy' is about to open its buds, while beyond is a native witch hazel, getting taller. Toward the front by the garage there are more Dutch iris, Allium moly and a pink peony in bud. My young  white Forsythia (Abeliophyllum distichum) is growing well amidst the Dutch iris, but my prize lace-leaf maple 'Viridium' suffered badly from the early April frost just as it was starting to leaf out.

 

 

 

 

Viburnum 'Cardinal Candy'

 

Dutch iris with Allium moly with young Abeliophyllum.

 

Pink peony in bud.

To complete the circle a round the house, the strawberries 'Mara de Bois' along the front walk continue to bloom and are starting to yield some luscious berries.

 

 

Strawberries 'Mara de Bois'

 Happy Bloom Day!