Pine Grove Pocket Wilderness

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In Canada, although we have federal, provincial, regional and municipal parks, we don’t have the National Trust, so any bit of public land here is precious, especially when it’s waterfront.
Bowater Mersey in Liverpool, NS, saved a few acres of tall pines on the Mersey River and turned it into a pocket ‘wilderness’, where we can walk and enjoy the trees and plants. We walk there several times a year, and there’s something new to see each time, depending on the season.
This time we caught the last few rhododendrons in bloom, and also the Lady Slippers, a protected plant in Nova Scotia.

Here are some of the magnificent pines:

The lake – I like the bench.

Looking skyward.

Lady Slipper orchids

More Lady Slipper orchids

In places, the ‘wilderness’ lives up to its name.

A rhododendron still in bloom:

Clintonia – berries have replaced the blooms

A sunbeam catching a fern leaf:

These pine trees have made their roots in a bed of pine needles:

Shadows of ferns on another wooden bench:

A miniature forest of ferns:

We’ve reached the River Mersey:

Pine cones forming:

The path along the river:

A beautiful rhododendron bloom:

Some more plants rooted in a rock crevasse:

The riverfront:

Another path through the tall pines:

At the far end of the lake:

Young long-needled pines amongst the birch trees:

This wilderness is quite well managed!

A rustic seat for tired bones:

Quite a civilized spot by the lake:

Reflection in the water:

That was our walk on Thursday, June 25. I’ll add some photos taken at different times of the year, so you can see why we go often:

Bluets (May)

Azaleas (May)

Trentalis borealis:

Rhododendron

This one is still hanging in there…

Galium triflorum

A young maple catching the sun in the depths of the forest:

Tree lichens

Maple leaves in the fall:

Possibly a home for something wild…

Hope you enjoyed the walk too!
elke

• 28 Jun, 2009
• 8 likes

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