Year of the Vetch

This year perennial gardeners in this part of Ontario lost all kinds of plants to a particularly nasty winter: little snow cover, a significant February thaw, and a spring that ran both hot and cold. But a season that's bad for some things is best for others. Few roses made it through, the bloom on the lilacs was pitiful, but the honeysuckles were delightful.

In the fields, due to conditions, amount and timing of rain and frosts among others, and the normal succession of plants (from ragweed to hardwood forest), the dominant wild flowers (or flowers run wild) also change every year. This year is the year of the curly vetch.


Curly vetch close-up

Every year there is some curly vetch in the yard (where the mower doesn't run) and in the fields, but this year, and right now just at its peak, everything else is dominated by it.


Curly vetch covering the far field.
The close-up of the vetch was taken today, a rather gloomy day, which is why the colour is so different (well that and because I'm still learning to control the new camera). I swear it's the same flower.

Also in bloom now are the viper's bugloss, various clovers, fleabane, bladder campion, some mustards, and a number of other wildflowers.


Viper's bugloss