Golden Days Of Spring: Okanagan WildFlowers

Balsam Root Fields Forever

Each spring the mountain sides surrounding the Okanagan Valley turn gold with breathtaking wild blossoms. This is my favourite time of year. It is like living each day surrounded by small bursts of celestial, golden sun rays springing forth from Earth!

I have lived on my mountain in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia for 15 years; yet each spring I discover the new blossoms with such delight, it is as though I am seeing them for the first time. Every morning I hike or run past the blossoms and wish that I had brought a camera other than my iPhone. Yesterday, I went on my usual early Sunday morning mountain bike ride and remembered to bring a DSLR camera with me to capture a few of the early spring flowers—many more have yet to bloom; I am waiting on the patch of wild orchids in my front yard to make their appearance…

Sustainability

It is important to recognize the vast urban development that threatens the wild fields of the Okanagan. The mountains are constantly being carved up to build more and more large homes. Balsam Root Fields Forever will be no more unless the Okanagan Valley stops the urban sprawl and starts condensing–build up, not out.

Okanagan Biodiversity

Knox Mountain Park is at risk of loosing its biodiversity. To ensure the park remains rich with natural flora and fauna, Kelowna needs to limit development and traffic in the park and also make sure the park does not become strangulated by urban sprawl—a corridor of wilderness must remain, linking Knox Mountain with the natural Okanagan wild spaces.

I hope you enjoy the show case of early spring alpine flowers of the Okanagan Valley: