Macaulay Point

The entrance to Victoria Harbour lies between two points, Ogden Point (where the cruise ships dock) marks the eastern side of the harbour entrance and Macaulay Point (above) marks the western side of the entrance. In the photo above we are looking at Macaulay Point from its western side. If we walked over the top of it we would see the harbour and the city spread out before us. I didn't go so far today because I got sidetracked by the rich profusion of Camas Lilies among the rocks.

Camas 2

Yesterday photo of Camas is not a bad close-up but their real beauty for me is in their profusion and the photo above gives a better sense of that. I was up in Highrock Park again today and the Camas are really peaking.

Camas

Despite the subnormal temperatures this year and the cloudy skies, the Camas Lilies have once again spread their carpet of blue over the slopes of Highrock Park.

Gonzales Bay, Ross Bay and Clover Point

This is the view from Gonzales Hill looking the same direction as Saturday's photo. In the foreground is Gonzales Bay and beyond that is Ross Bay, bounded by Clover Point. There were patches of the luscious purple Camas Lilies blooming in all the rock crevices atop the hill.

Highrock Park

Highrock Park, like many of Victoria's little parks, is not an area of carefully cultivated flower beds, lawns and hedges but is rather a bit of the original landscape preserved. Right now Highrock Park is at its most beautiful and I defy any gardener to match its range and richness of color and form. The purple flowers below are Camas Lilies and give some idea of the lush palette that is on offer now.

Camas Lilies (Camas quamash)

Many wildflowers grow in great numbers here during the spring but none of them in such profusion as these splendid Camas Lilies (Camas quamash). They are no longer classified as members of the lily family but many people continue to refer to them as lilies. The bulbs of this plant were an important food source for First Nations people over wide areas of North America. The bulbs were not gathered until late summer. Some were roasted and eaten but they could also be dried and ground into a kind of flour.