Please check out the latest set of photos illustrating late summer wildflowers on my blog.
Here is a sample:
Partridge Pea
Hope you enjoy.
Please be sure to visit again in early September for the last set of wildflower photos – those that bloom in autumn.
Happy trails!
Veterans Bike Path in the Town of Ballston offers a 3.5-mile paved trail between Rte. 146-A and Outlet Road. As I continue my wildflower inventory along this trail, I have noticed that many people enjoy this trail for biking and rollerblading as well as walking.
For those of you rolling along on this path, I thought I’d offer you these few photos to let you know what is in bloom as you roll on past –
Woodland Sunflower
Queen Anne’s Lace
Sweet-scented Joe-Pye Weed
Teasel
Happy trails!
Entrance sign – Shenantaha Creek Park
I visited Shenantaha Creek Park today in my continuing inventory of wildflowers along its woodland trails. The woodland trails generally follow parallel to Shenantaha, often along the high ridges overlooking this scenic stream.
Shenantaha, or “deer water” as named by Native Americans – now known as Ballston Creek
As you walk toward the southern boundary of this park, the trail eventually makes its way down to a floodplain forest. It is in this low area where much of the park’s plant diversity can be found, at least regarding its forbs. Frequent visits to this portion of the park will reveal a seasonal display of a variety of interesting native, introduced and even a few invasive wildflowers.
It is here, along the banks of the Shenantaha, where I spied this beautiful bloom –
Cardinal Flower
Cardinal Flower is the 2014 New York Flora Association Wildflower of the Year. For more info about this native wildflower, read my post from earlier this year; it contains much information. Like my observation, please be sure to report yours.
My inventory at this park will draw to a close at the end of this growing season. I’ll be posting a wildflower guide for this property early next spring – please watch for that announcement in March 2015.
Happy trails!
If you or someone you know requires the assistance of a wheelchair to get out and enjoy nature, I encourage you to view these resources:
Also, I have updated my list of “Area Nature Preserves, Parks and Trails” to include this icon to indicate whether one or more trails at that destination is wheelchair accessible:
This trail is wheelchair accessible.
Hope this helps. Happy trails!
After a soggy Fourth, the sun shone brightly today. So, with a breeze brisk enough to keep even the deer flies at bay, I decided to saunter along Veterans Trail in Ballston Lake to see what was in bloom and otherwise present along this 3.5-mile bike/pedestrian trail. It has been a nearly a month since I last visited this site as part of my ongoing wildflower inventory here.
Many various blooms now provide a colorful backdrop along much of this trail; several are pleasantly fragrant as well! (The latter include Garden Valerian, Sweebrier, Common Milkweed and a few remaining Dame’s Rocket.)
Here’s a sampling of what awaits your visit…
Great Willow Herb (AKA Fireweed)
Branched Centaury
Canada Lily (orange form) candelabra of blooms
Creeping Bellflower
Happy trails!
Curious By Nature 