The Carmel River’s last major tributary, Garzas Creek, flows through Garland Regional Park.
Here’s some of what’s currently blooming along the creek and on the trail to the top of Vásquez Knob…
Giant Trillium (Trillium chloropetalum).
Woodland Star (Lithophragma affine)
Toothwort (Cardamine californica) visited by a mystery butterfly. Toothwort is currently blooming pretty much anywhere there’s shade.
Common Linanthus (Linanthus parviflorus)
Stinging Phacelia (Phacelia malvifloria)
Fuchsia-Flowered Gooseberry (Ribes speciosum)
A diminutive Cream Cup (Platystemon californicus)
Blue Oak (Quercus douglasii) catkins
Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum)
Johnny Jump-Ups (Viola pedunculata) near the top of Vásquez Knob
View of Carmel Valley, Monterey Bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains from Vásquez Knob. Vásquez Knob, by the way, was apparently named, not for the famous Tiburcio Vásquez, but for his big brother, Antonio María Vásquez, who appreciated the view enough to make his home on the Knob.
Madroño (Arbutus menziesii) blossoms
Hairy Honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula)
Coast Paintbrush (Castilleja affinis)
Field of Shooting Stars (Dodecatheon clevelandii)
Common Fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii)
More Shooting Stars
Blunt-Leaved Lupine (Lupinus truncatus), which prefers Baja and Southern California, reaches its northernmost limit in the Monterey Bay area. Who knows, though. With the climate getting warmer, it may soon be taking up residence north of the Golden Gate.
Fiesta Flower (Pholistoma auritum)
Dwarf Ceanothus (Ceanothus dentatus)
California Buttercup (Ranunculus californicus)
Silver Lupine (Lupinus albifrons)
California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) and Owl’s Clover (Castilleja exserta)
Lots of poppies…
Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor)
Blue Dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum)
Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla)
Baby Blue-Eyes (Nemophila menziesii)
Hill Star (Lithophragma heterophyllum)
California Saxifrage, which has now been kicked out of the Saxifraga genus and has become Micranthes californica.
Coast Larkspur (Delphinium patens)
Wild Cucumber (Marah fabaceus)
A faded Shooting Star.
Thanks, Keith. Hope we (the MPRPD) make use of them.
Regards
, John
Thanks for sharing these lovelies. You certainly know your wildflowers!
I had to look up Vasquez Knob, had never heard of it before. I learned something!
Great photos, and a bit of history to boot! Thank you.