A New Project Is Blooming

Jul 20

For years, I've spent countless mornings chasing light across mainly Colorado and the Southwest.

Sunrises.
Storms.
Mountains.
Aspens.
The Milky Way.

But somewhere along the way, I found myself stopping more and more often...not for the grand landscape, but for what was growing beside the trail.

The more I looked, the more I realized something surprising.

Many of the wildflowers I was photographing didn't have a good online record of growing here in El Paso County. Information was scattered. Photos were difficult to compare. Some flowers had almost no local documentation at all.

That seemed like something worth changing.

So I started the El Paso County Wildflower Project.

The goal is simple.

To build a living wildflower index for El Paso County.

Not just my photographs.

Our photographs.

Whether someone has been identifying plants for decades or simply notices an interesting flower during an evening walk, everyone can contribute to documenting the incredible diversity growing throughout our county.

Each flower page includes photographs, identification information, bloom details, and interesting facts about the species. As the project grows, so will the knowledge it contains.

One of the things I've enjoyed most is discovering that wildflowers are full of surprises.

Some change color dramatically.

Some bloom for only a short time each year.

Some open only at night to welcome nocturnal pollinators.

Some are so small that you can walk within inches of them and never realize they're there.

The more I learn, the more I realize how much there is still to discover.

Although the project focuses on El Paso County, I think anyone who enjoys nature will find something to appreciate.

Maybe you'll recognize a flower you've seen before.

Maybe you'll learn something new.

Maybe you'll simply enjoy browsing through Colorado's remarkable diversity of wildflowers.

And if you happen to know someone in El Paso County who loves hiking, photography, gardening, or native plants, I'd be grateful if you'd share the project with them.