Every spring I start to go a little stir crazy, not because I have been locked up in a cabin or anything like that but I start to miss color. I love Alaska but during the late winter I get so very tired of the black, white and brown scenery that we have lived with for over 6 months. My family has laughed at me whenever I have threatened to take food coloring filled water bottles to the piles of snow that fill our yard to make my own winter garden. But eventually we watch those dreary colors start to melt and after a few weeks we get these stunning shades of green that pop up everywhere from tree leaves to new grass. And then we start to get glimpses of other colors, when the flowers finally decide to make their appearances. I love to take the time and get up close with many of our flowers. Especially since there are quite a few that are so tiny that I can put a dime next to a bunch of them and the dime is still larger than they are, like the Kinnikinnick (photographed below)

F163Kinnikinnick comparison

Another couple tiny flowers in my area are the Pink Pyrola and Twin flowers. Both of these flowers could be easily over looked along the forest floor but if you take the time and slow down, they really are quite beautiful.

F125Delicate Pink Pyrola, Wintergreen F182Twin Flowers

and of course I would be remiss if I didn't include our Alaska State flower, the Forget Me Not

F147Forget-me-nots found on the Big Four Ice Caves trail.

Now don't get me wrong, I love these petite posies but some of my favorite flowers you don't have to look very hard to find. Take the Wild Rose, or Sitka Rose that blooms anywhere from late May into June. It's pink blooms warm the countryside.

F185Wild Rose IP113The Susitna River decorated with wild roses.

Next on the schedule would be orchids and lupine that add the perfect purple hue to the landscape.

F103Wild Iris grows like crazy in Alaska, it creates this beautiful scenic painting of deep purples among the greens of the springtime. F154Lupine found in a burnt out forest on the Kenai Peninsula.

Towards the end of the lupine blooms two of my other favorites come out, Daisies and Fireweed.

F148A hillside covered in daisies and lupine on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. F158An off color fireweed among the brightly colored counter parts.

If I was honest I would have to say that this blog post could go on and on with the beautiful flowers I have found throughout Alaska but I thought I would just share a few of my favorites with you. Do you have a favorite local wildflower?