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Thursday 23 June 2022

Along the red dirt roads

Exploring Prince Edward Island will inevitably take you beyond paved roads to the iron-rich dirt roads. The old roads are cut deep into the red earth and this time of year, they, like all roads, are lined with natural beauty, wild and free. 





One can easily stop and admire the wildflowers along the old roads as we did recently on our way to Brander’s Pond and again at the Indian Head Lighthouse with Helen and Frank, our Australian friends.


At the pond, which is behind sand dunes, a stream flows to the beach on the north shore of the island into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The road to the area is lined with lupins this time of year and they are at their peak.





While purples and blues are prevalent, combinations of pink and rose colours vary from a hint of pink to the two coloured pink/rose petals. 





The while lupins are more rare.




With the pond in the background, this piece of driftwood looks quite seasonal.





Another wildflower which is quite obvious this time of year is Dame’s Rocket, which can grow quite tall along the roadsides and pathways. I took this photo from the car window looking up an embankment. 





At the Indian Head Lighthouse, the sea is the backdrop as the old light stands guard at the end of the breakwater. 





Lupins love this place but daisies claim their piece of real estate too.





Soon the lupins, rockets and daisies will be replaced with other names and colours but all of the blooming beauty this time of year gives me joy!







33 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I've only been to PEI once but I loved seeing the red earth! And I loved seeing lupins too! So beautiful!

Billie Jo said...

Hello! I found you through a comment on Susan's lovely blog. I loved looking through your photos, and am happy to be a new follower. Have a cozy day!

Rose said...

Oh, my! Such beauty! I wish they grew here...the lupins that is.

Bill said...

The lupins and daisies are absolutely beautiful.

photowannabe said...

Lupines and daisies...magical...
Your lupines are so tall and stately. In the spring we get quite tiny ones compared to you.
I love the photo of the red dirt road..it calls to me to go and explore.
The photo of the driftwood and lupines cropped just around the wood and flower would make a fantastic notecard.
All of your pictures would actually.
Sue

Sandi said...

So beautiful!

Elephant's Child said...

Wow, wow, and wow. How exquisitely beautiful.
And I can never get over lupines as wildflowers. They are cherished (and pampered) garden blooms here.

Debby said...

Gorgeous photos.

We have red dirt in my area - from volcanoes from the past.

Mage said...

What wonderful color ranges. It's all so very lovely.

The Furry Gnome said...

Oh, the Lupins of PEI! We remember them well.

William Kendall said...

Lovely lupins.

Joanne Noragon said...

PEI is lupin land.

JudithK said...

Oh such beautiful flowers everywhere. I'm curious about iron in the soil; how's the well water? Or maybe you have another source.

Maebeme said...

I love the lupins and must look for the seeds at the garden centre. They are just incredibly beautiful, and the backdrop of the ocean is priceless.

When we were in PEI in 2015, I recall hardly believing that the soil could be that red...but it was!

At Home In New Zealand said...

Those wild flowers would give me joy as well, especially the gorgeous lupins. What a stunning sight they must be :)

Ginnie Hart said...

I totally GET the joy you experience at this time of the year there, Marie. The lupines are just fabulous...something we don't see that much of here. But those Dame’s Rockets are new to me. What a great addition to your landscape, along with the daisies! And what a colorful post!

eileeninmd said...

Hello Marie,
The Lupines, Daises and the Rockets are all beautiful. Lovely scenic views and photos. Take care, have a great day!

Debbie said...

all of the flowers are so beautiful, living along the roadside in harmony!!

daisies are in bloom here now and they are my favorites!! out colorful lupins have passed by they put on quite the show!!

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Gorgeous wildflowers!

DJan said...

Magnificent photos of gorgeous flowers. Such incredible beauty! :-)

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Dame's Rocket and Lupines are very common here too, Marie, often highly invasive - especially Dame's Rocket. One cannot deny their beauty, however.

Anvilcloud said...

So much to like — the red road, the lupins, and the rockets. Especially the lupins.

Catarina said...

Magnificent wild flowers.
I can see myself walking leisurely and smelling the flowers...

Beside a babbling brook... said...

Wild Flower perfection!!!!!

And the red roads are lovely too.

Jim and Barb's Adventures said...

Lupins, we had no idea what those were!

Liz Hinds said...

Such beautiful flowers. I remember you writing about wild lupins last year and being surprised - but then seeing wild ones here for the first time. Love the Dame's Rocket and daisies too. So glorious.

Barwitzki said...

Yes exactly, such wonderful walks are now possible.
Thank you for your beautiful photos.
Here with us the daisies and lupins also bloom and then there is also the foxglove in the forest. Do you know?
dear greeting to you
Viola

Marie Smith said...

Viola,

I have never seen foxglove growing wild here. I will check it out though and let you know if it does.

Marie

HWIT BLOGG said...

I just love lupins! A lovely flower but here in Sweden many call them a weed...
Beautiful pictures and best wishes for a great weekend!
Titti

Helen said...

Stunning photography, perfectly capturing the beauty of these lovely flowers in their stunning locations.

John's Island said...

Marie, It’s always a pleasure to visit Island Musings. In this post I’m amazed at the beauty of the lupins! I see lupins in portions of my daily walk but the ones on PEI have more variation in the beautiful colors. I do see a few blue ones here that are almost as pretty as the ones in your photos. You have a wonderful “eye” for what makes a great photo. Thank you for sharing your walks with us! John

Glenda Beall said...

Wow! You brightened my world with those photos of all the colorful flowers. The lupines are gorgeous. Your photo essays are such a delight. Thanks for sharing your world with me.

margi said...

Such beauty! Here lupins grow only in the gardens. In my garden is a white one.