Rock cress (Boechera drummondii)

Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium montanum)

Skullcap (Scutellaria brittonii)

Miner's candle (Oreocarya virgata)

A Memorial Day visit to Reynolds Ranch Open Space yesterday afternoon resulted in a bunch of new flowers in bloom. Rock cress (Boechera drummondii), pussytoes (Antennaria sp.), Miner's candle (Oreocarya virgata), blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium montanum), skullcap (Scutellaria brittonii), paintbrush (Castilleja sp.),mountain parsley (Pseudocymopteris montanus), mouse-eared chickweed (cerastium strictum), candytuft (Noccaea montana), false Solomon's seal (Maianthemum stellatum), two different violets-one deep purple and one a light lavender color (Viola spp.), and one of my most favorite montane plants, blue-mist penstemon (Penstemon virens). One time, several years ago, I saw the east field at Reynolds covered in blue with this pretty little flower. It didn't take much imagination to see where the blue-mist common name originated.