Okay, maybe it IS about the orchids? (Newfoundland part 2)

Sarracenia purpurea

Unless of course you're into insectivorous plants, and then it's about the pitcher plants! And sundews...

I couldn't believe the variety of flowers on these suckers...nor how many were dotted here there and everywhere through the bog.

They really struck me as almost alien--like some sort of antenna almost. Dozens of them scattered everywhere...

Thick enough that you couldn't help stepping on them...

And those ludicrous shower heads!

And then a few feet further you look onto a vast vista studded with Cinnamon ferns (Osmunda cinnamomea)!

I admred the fuzzy croziers of these emerging everywhere in the Maritimes in our May visit--and now I admired them in their full summer glory. I have got to find a moist spot to grow these here at home!

One of the greatest pleasures of attending rock garden conferences is that you're VERY likely to spend time with Ian and Carole Bainbridge. Carole is immediate past president of the Scottish Rock Garden Society--and Ian is an all round naturalist to boot. Better company you cannot keep!

And then there's no end of ericads! Here is the famous lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium). Someday perhaps I shall go to the Maritimes in August when these are ripe: they are harvested by the metric ton by the locals--a major source of deliciousness!

I would love to grow this in my garden! But alas, it wouldn't necessarily like conditions in the semi-arid West. I promise to water faithfully!

And then there were Arethusa bulbosa...clusters, clumps, masses and more...here there and everywhere!

I love the elegant deportment of the hairdo!

In a solid, classic pink...

In paler pinks...

And almost white. I saw images of pure white albinos that the post-conference tour encountered. Grrrrr I shoulda gone!

If you look carefully you'll see the sundews in the muck...

There were two species, D. spathulata and D. anglica...I think this one is the latter.

A single lonely Trientalis borealis (nice ring to it that!)

And masses of all manner of lichen...

Here the enthusiastic throng of rock gardeners is scattered hither and yon across the vast bog.

Lots of Rhododendron groendlandicum (hard to give up the Ledum!)

And a single colony of Calopogon pulchellum was out in early bloom. Apparently in a few weeks this would be as abundant as the Arethusa is now, and following on its heels the bog would be full of Pogonia ophioglossoides in another month...And white fringed orchid up the Wazoo...(don't ask me where Wazoo is).

Bog trotting with rock gardeners is every bit as fun as hiking the hills. Only wear waterproof boots or perhaps wellies are advised!