Prairie Roses, from Pale to Deep Pink

Wild Prairie Rose   © SB

Oh, the Prairie Roses along the edges of Saskatchewan grid roads in July and August!

These Prairie Roses range from pale pink through a deep, almost crimson shade, and scent the air with the sweet smell of, well, summer roses. 

I know you guys roaring by in your dusty pick-up trucks and (yes, especially you, that somewhat-less-than-courteous, rock-spewing driver) new Mercedes...

I know you feel you own the road, but you're missing the best part of summer, the piece that only walkers can behold: The miracle of Prairie Roses growing wild in gravel. Free beauty at your feet.

Deep Pink Wild Prairie Rose   © SB

Pale Pink Wild Prairie Rose   © SB

Prairie Wildflower: Prairie Roses
Location: Near Muenster, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Photo Dates: July 21, 2014.

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Northern Bedstraw: Saskatchewan Prairie Wildflower

They never tell you this: When you walk Saskatchewan grid roads in July, the sweet scent of wild Prairie Roses and Northern Bedstraw will rise with the dust at every step.

Northern Bedstraw, growing on the shoulder of a grid road.  © Shelley Banks

This small-blossomed, fragrant, white Prairie willdflower was abundant along the country roads around Muenster, Saskatchewan, early this summer, growing in tangles on the shoulders of roads, along with grasses, roses, anemones, gaillardia and more.


Prairie Wildflower: Northern Bedstraw
Location: Muenster, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Photo Dates: July 5 and 6, 2014.

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Heart-leaved Alexanders

Heart-leaved Alexanders. That's a new prairie wildflower for me — and if I didn't have my flower guides, I might wonder if these tiny yellow composite flowers were instead perhaps related to dill weed or even a kind of goldenrod.

Flowerhead of Heart-leaved Alexanders   © SB 

I don't know why there is an s at the end of the name... Alexanders... Perhaps if I knew Latin it would make sense?

And yes, I do know that the name for this yellow prairie wildflower is all about the leaves, not the flowers — but the lower leaves of this plant were so-deep in the Saskatchewan mosquito zone that I opted to disturb neither flora nor fauna for a photograph... But I did look closely at them, and identified the heart-shaped lower leaves, and the upper leaves that are more like three leaflets at the top of the stem.


Prairie Wildflower: Heart-leaved Alexanders
Location: Muenster, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Photo Dates: July 7, 2014.

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Western Red Lily: Saskatchewan's Flower

Today, the Western Red Lily. On the site of the first mass in the Muenster, Saskatchewan, area — and over the fence by the roadside — there is a small patch of native prairie bright with wild flowers: Hedysarum, Bedstraw, Roses. Hidden from a distance by the rest of the vibrant early July growth, blooms a single cluster of deep orange lilies.

Western Red Lily   © SB

(Though perhaps it's still early in the year, and more Western Red Lilies may perhaps soon appear...)

And the date on the plaque for the first mass? 1903.

Shrine at the site of the first Muenster mass.

Prairie Wildflower: Western Red Lily
Location: Muenster, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Photo Dates: July 8, 2014. 

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Blue-eyed Grass - Prairie Wildflower

Early morning, and in the grass along the path I saw blue flowers — Blue-eyed Grass. And I wondered at the eyes of the flowers, bright yellow rimmed with magenta, but perhaps Yellow-eyed-Blue-eyed Grass would be too long a name...

I couldn't find these bright blue, star-shaped flowers later in the day. Is this prairie plant a morning bloomer, or did someone walk across the sodden grass and step on it?

Blue-eyed Grass, found along the pathway at the Abbey.   © SB

Blue-eyed Grass may look like it has six petals  — but three of these are really sepals...


Prairie Wildflower: Blue-eyed Grass
Location: Muenster, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Photo Dates: July 5, 2014.

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