Outings and Nature Hikes
Places on Vancouver Island to see Alpines and Native Flowers
PLACES SIG Alpines & AGCVI HAVE BEEN TO SEE NATIVE PLANTS, BEAUTIFUL SCENERY and Other Interesting Things.
Englishman River at Morrison Creek Erythronium oregonum plus others. Early to mid-April.
Oyster River Mouth and/or Courtenay Erythronium revolutum plus others. Early to mid-April.
The Notch, Nanoose For all kinds of interesting flowers and beautiful views. Steep hill.
Plus, Brickyard Cove, further along the road. Interesting. Mid-May.
Moorecroft, Nanoose As above - Including Vancouver Groundcone. Gentle slope then flat
Saw Allium plus. We went in June.
Qualicum Falls Park Erythronium, Fritillaria + shade loving plants.
Englishman River Park Erythronium, Fritillaria + shade loving plants.
Rotary Park, Parksville This is a very short walk but has a wonderful array of Calypso bulbosa.
(Not called Rotary Park) Park on the wooded side of Parksville Info Centre parking lot.
Follow the path through a little wood with the Island Highway on one
side and North West Bay Rd on the other. May
Whistler/Blackcomb 2 to 3 nights stay. We like to go up and down Blackcomb lift as
It has open chairs so you can see the flowers and often bears
Last time we were there the den was just after you got on the
second lift going up Blackcomb Mt.
Whistler Village Lift has a gondola (I see Blackcomb has a gondola
now – don’t know what runs in the summer)
Lots of alpine flowers on both mountains.
If you go to Whistler the P2P or the lift from village will take you to
The Roundhouse. Do not walk up Matthew’s and Pika’s Traverse
It’s 2 miles long and all up hill. Walk down the Peak Express Traverse
and go up on the Peak Express lift. When you are ready to leave -
walk down Matthew’s and Pika’s Traverses. You may see the Ice
Walls, lots of flowers, mini Inukshuk and interesting views.
If you are too tired go back down on the lift – and miss a lot.
Rhododendron Lake NWB Weekends only and need someone who knows the way
Rhododendrons, Ledum and bog plants. Interesting trip up.
You need to go in June to see Rhododendrons.
Mt. Cokely (Arrowsmith) Also needs somebody who knows the way. Walk short way up
old ski hill, lots of interest on both side – up to first bump
and into small rough meadow on your right – Penstemon,
Allium, plus lots more. Nice views of Port Alberni and lakes
on drive up. Views over Hilliers, PV, Islands to mainland from
Old Ski Hill. Weekends only.
Manning Park Was a disappointment as so very dry, no flowers out and
very hot. They had a temperature reversal.
Boundary Park, Nanoose NW Bay Road on sharp bend shortly after Info Center.
We have not really checked this one out but it looks interesting.
Beach Creek QB Trillium. Mostly stairs up Canyon.
Newcastle Island, Nanaimo Interesting boat ride, walk, old coal mine, ferry viewing
We were too late for flowers but lots of Erythronium and Trillium.
Paradise Meadows July or Sept for leaf colour. Boardwalk loop. Many flowers
Paradise Meadow loop, mostly flat and lots of flowers
Small loop – Lake Helen Mackenzie – Battleship Lake loop
The club has never done the big loop from the meadows –
Via Lake Helen Mackenzie Hairtrigger, Kwia, Crouteau and
Battleship Lakes. Lovely trail.
Harewood Plains Nanaimo. Lots of flowers. June.
Tsolum River, Courtenay Erythronium revolutum plus others Early to mid-April.
Erythronium hybrids from white to pink; very easy access.
UBC and VanDusen Alpine Gardens Lots of troughs, rock gardens, very interesting. Vancouver.
Municipal Gardens in Comox and Courtenay Shane Tillapaugh has made several troughs on Courtenay streets
Dany Fortin has made troughs at Comox Marina plus a xeric rock
Garden at Comox Community Center. Park in Center parking
lot and walk through building to access rock garden. Watch for
interesting plants on your way.
Eswyn’s Alpine and Rock Garden Nanoose Place, Nanoose Bay. Granite Rock Garden, made with
a Big Cat!!
In 2009/10 Plants from Eswyn’s Garden and other donors added.
In 2011, Paul Spriggs put in a granite crevice garden. With help
from the City of Parksville Landscaping Crew, Fairwinds Crew and
granite rock donations. Plus, SIG Alpines Members (the old AGCVI).
Lots of interesting plants added.
SIG Alpines and early AGCVI members used to help weed. But this
has kind of fallen by the way-side. If you would like to help
with the weeding, please let us know.
Fraser’s Thimble Farms Nursery Salt Spring Island. Very interesting. We usually went in April.
Also, interesting nursery with old garden across the road.
I have forgotten its name; I will find out.
VIRAGS Spring Show and Plant Sale At Mary Winspeare Centre, Sydney. See VIRAGS website
We used to car-pool, meeting here.
VIRAGS Rock Garden in Beacon Hill Park Garry Oaks, camas, lots of rock plants and shrubs.
We usually visit after their Show and Sale. Good place for
lunch and viewing herons.
VIRAGS
VIRAGS September Meeting and Member’s Plant Sales. Good place to buy alpine plants, meet VIRAGS members
and see a good Presentation. If a group goes down take a few plants to donate to VIRAGS own Plant Sale Table. Get back home about midnight!
VIRAGS Member’s gardens we have visited:
Paul Spriggs
Bryan Emory – who has, or will have, made a Memory garden to Mike Miller
Leda Bower
Janice Currie
Vel and Dan may have visited more gardens, ask them.
Al and Liz Murray?
Interesting places in Victoria:
Borden’s Hardware On Borden Road, right turn off Mackenzie. Plants ,seeds, bulbs.
Sometimes has tufa rock. Last time we were they still had
granite grit.
Elk Lake Nursery Interesting stuff. Dwarf conifers. Pat Bay Highway
Dinter’s Nursery Interesting stuff. Duncan
AGCVI Members gardens not included.