Dwarf Larkspur © 2014 Patty Hankins
Every now and then when I’m driving along in a National Park – I’ll see a splash of color out the corner of my eye – and know that I need to turn around and figure out what I just saw. If I’m alone – not a problem – I just look for the next pull-out – do a quick U-turn – and head back to photograph the flowers. Of course, when Bill is with me – I have to explain to him what I saw – and that yes – we really are turning around to figure out what it was – and that I’ll probably be photographing for the next 20 minutes or so. Over the years – Bill has gotten much better about me saying STOP!!!! and doing the turn and letting me photograph for a while.
The Dwarf Larkspur (Delphinium Tricorne) along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina is one of the flowers that has caused a number of sudden U-Turns over the years. I’ve only spotted dwarf larkspur in the wild in a few spots along the parkway – and I never remember exactly where they are. I know they’re somewhere within the first couple of hours of driving heading north from Cherokee – and that they are usually on the right side of the road. So in late April/early May – I know to keep my eye out for them – and if I’m lucky I’ll spot them along the side of the road. That’s what happened with this set – I just happened to catch a splash of purple among the green grass and there they were.
Dwarf Larkspur is one of the wildflowers featured in my 2015 Wildflower Calendar. You can order your copy from my website.