In late March, 1995, Lorelie and I were in the first blush of our own home in the eastern foothills of the Cascades. On a walk, we were visiting with a neighbor living a few doors away from us. Lorelie said to him, “Except for a little grass, our property is pretty much overgrown. I want to start gardening, so could you give me a few tips about what will grow?”
He responded, ”What will grow here? Nothing but trees, that’s what will grow here. You might try planting a Crocus.”
It’s true that our property didn’t have much sun because of the overstory of Ponderosa Pines, Grand Firs, Douglas Firs and Vine Maples. Well, were we surprised with the coming of spring when we discovered a variety of little life forms popping up around our property. Wildflowers! Wow, we have wildflowers? What are their names? How do we protect them when we make paths and beds for vegetables and perennials?
Now it’s August, 2020; the wildflowers are in hibernation until next spring and the 
garden is many shades of green. This is a good time to reflect on the many wildflowers that greet us every year as the snow melts, the sun warms the soil and the wildflowers bring us the colors of spring.
The colors begin with the sprinkling of Glacier Lilies and Trillium; then their yellow and white spread to the sweeps of Spring Beauty, Arnica, and Oxeye Daisies. The landscape continues with the bloom of Lady Slippers, Balsamroot, pink Nootka Roses and concludes with purple Vetch, orange Tiger Lilies, Lyal’s white Star Tulips, in pink shades of Columbine.
How could our neighbor miss the palette of spring colors in the eastern foothills of the Cascades?
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