Pamela Perrault Photography
A passion for wildlife, woodlands and wildflowers.
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Fireweed’s Finale
Fireweed is an herbaceous, native perennial, sometimes regionally known as Rosebay Willowherb. Why Fireweed? This species is a forest fire endurance specialist. Its tough roots survive despite high underground temperatures. They sprout very quickly after a fire which helps prevent soil loss. A single plant can produce up to 80,000 tiny seeds (which they produce…
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The Bee And Her Blossom
Pink Turtlehead is an herbaceous, native perennial, and we have a bumper crop in our pollinator garden this summer. It is a valuable, late-summer and early-fall food source for Bumble Bees, which are (near as I can tell) the only species strong enough to pry open the tight, snapdragon-like blossoms. I was lucky enough to…
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Fandango’s Story Starter #259: The Bridge, the Rope, and the Running Bare Feet
The Bridge, the Rope, and the Running Bare Feet The bench by the river was her sanctuary, offering a perfect, quiet view of the old rope bridge, which had seen better days — much better days. From her usual spot in the cool, quiet shade of the park, she watched the little bridge sway over…
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White Wistfulness
This morning a white rose — aptly named “Honor” — blooms in our small courtyard garden, planted to honour my beloved dad and his grand rose garden (150+ species) at the wee house on Joy Drive. It is a sweet, sentimental flash of white petals that brings back happy memories. White Wistfulness A little splash…
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Happy Little World
White Panicle Asters are an herbaceous, native perennial and, at this time of year, their buds are beginning to burst. They are a favourite of all the pollinators and already (the flowers aren’t yet at their peak) it’s a veritable honey factory in our laneway garden. Happy Little World White panicle asters bloom by the…
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The Flower Hour #43: Random August Amble
My Green In-Between Beyond my pillow and my desk,Lies something grand and picturesque!A secret lane where bees carouse,And nodding blossoms gently drowse. I snap a picture of a bee,Chat with any neighbours I see.No longer strangers passing by,We watch the busy Hoverfly. Away from chores and indoor care,We weave our stories through the air,A little…
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The Golden Road
Sweet Yellow Clover, also known as Melilot and Hart’s Clover, is an herbaceous, non-native biennial in the Pea (legume) family. At this time of year, roadsides and meadows in rural Ontario are painted yellow with an extravagance of these pretty yellow blossoms. It is listed on the Ontario Invasive Species register but, despite its status,…
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In Her Sunday-Best
Cow Vetch is an herbaceous, non-native perennial in the Pea family. It is now listed as an invasive species here in Ontario so I’m sure my friend Tyler is rolling his eyes or groaning (or both!) as he reads this. It is in full bloom at this time of year and is truly a glorious…
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Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge: #Yellow Hues — Mellow Yellow
I’m just mad about saffronA-saffron’s mad about meI’m-a just mad about saffronShe’s just mad about me They call me mellow yellow (Quite rightly)They call me mellow yellow (Quite rightly)They call me mellow yellow* Let’s get mellow, then, shall we…….. And, my personal favourite for last — cutest wee bum of the day: Thanks to my…
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Lens-Artists Challenge #408 — Over the Top Street Safari
Please join me on a short street safari! They say less is more. They are wrong! This post is my celebration of breaking the colour rules, drama, and excess. I believe that the ultimate over the top art form is public street art. It isn’t hidden away in a quiet, white-walled gallery. Instead, it aggressively…
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Pink Bells
Hedge Bindweed is an herbaceous, native, perennial in the Morning-Glory family. This is a smooth, fast-growing, twining vine which always and only curls (twines) against the sun (counter-clockwise). Fun Fact: If you gently pinch or squeeze the large green jackets (bracts) at the bottom of the blossom, the entire trumpet-shaped flower will pop cleanly off…
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Rural Ballerina
Philadelphia Fleabane is an herbaceous, native perennial in the Aster family that blooms May through October. It is a great draw for all species of pollinators — just look at this one picture: Fun Fact: At one time folks believed that using the dried flowers would drive away fleas (hence its name), but this has…
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Woodland Splash of Spring Fire
The Trout Lily is an herbaceous perennial of the Lily family that thrives in moist woodlands. Its fanciful names are Yellow Dogtooth Violet and Fawn Lily. The leaves are edible. It is a spring ephemeral, blooming May to June. Fun fact: Trout Lily, because the speckling on its leaves resemble the body of the Brook…
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Kings and Queens of the Lane
The Black-eyed Susan is an herbaceous, native, perennial of the Aster family. It blooms June through September. The seeds are a favourite of goldfinches, especially in winter when their food sources are limited. Garden folklore is filled with romance, but few stories match the poetic history of the Black-eyed Susan. Unless you’ve flipped through volumes…
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The Flower Hour #42: Six Steps Through the Alphabet Garden
A lens, a challenge, a creative quest,To find the blooms the alphabet blessed.Right in the middle, where letters align,Six pretty frames of botanical design. The journey began with the letters of J,Where wild Joe-Pye Weed was swaying away;Beside it, the Japanese Peony grows,With layers of silk in a stunning repose. An herbaceous perennial of the…
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A Picnic at Point Pelee
This very wee beauty, Star-flowered Lily-of-the-valley (Maianthemum stellatum), fancifully Starry False Solomon’s-Seal, is an herbaceous, native, woodland perennial. A Picnic at Point Pelee Deep in the woods of Point Pelee,Where morning shadows dance with glee,A tiny star fell to the ground,And turned into the prettiest thing I found. A Star-flowered Lily, petite and bright,With petals…
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Sunday Stills: A Day at the Orono Agricultural Fair
Agricultural Fairs are becoming an institution of the country; they are useful in more ways than one; they bring us together, and thereby make us better acquainted, and better friends than we otherwise would be.* With a population of little more than 1,000 souls, Orono is a tiny agricultural community, about 100 kilometres north-east of…
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Forbidden Bloom
She invaded our marshland green,Sweetest face, this forbidden queen. The Flowering Rush, not to be confused with the Bulrush, is an aquatic perennial of the Plantain family. Despite its delicate, pink beauty, it is listed as an invasive species here in Ontario. They do, perhaps, have a redeeming quality — the pollinators love them. One…
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The Noble Imposter
Salsify, an herbaceous biennial, is fancifully known as Western Salsify, Goat’s Beard, and Wild Oyster Plant. Fun facts: The Noble Imposter A tiny spark of yellow gold,Decides to be a bit more bold.It laughs at weeds that dot the lawn,And puts its royal top hat on. No common yellow flower this,A fancy snack, a royal…
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Keep Breathing…
And I know what I have to do now. I’ve got to keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?† Fifty years ago in September, four women — Frannie, Laura, Pam and Annie, AKA “FLAP” — came together on a basketball court, thus beginning a friendship based on…
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Jack’s Letter: August 2026
‘Til next time, y’all…
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Whimsical Waltz
Finding a creek bank painted with pale yellow Sulphur Cinquefoil, and watching its lively hoverfly visitors is always a wonderful summertime discovery. The plant has a slightly fuzzy stem and its blossoms have very delicate, heart-shaped petals. They draw Hoverflies by the droves which is wonderful because the more pollinators, the better. Plus, they devour…
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August Poetry Challenge: Wild Hearts
Dawn breaks; wild hearts leap,Young hooves dance through rising green,Life feels sweet and new. Many thanks to Rebecca Cuningham who, in her blog post titled Chilean Citizen Scientists Find Ancient Fossils, asked us, Got haiku poetry? Sign up for the August Poetry Challenge. I’ve never participated before, but this time I’m trying. Rebecca tells us For August’s…
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Carolinian Banquet
There is nothing quite like that rush of excitement when nature decides to put on a little show just for you. This afternoon, two teeny-tiny, spotted fawns confidently walked out of the woods behind our home, noshing away while we watched. ‘Though there was no sign of Mum, we think they are perfectly safe! Mother…
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Yellow Saucers
Wildflowers are the loveliest of all because they grow in uncultivated soil, in those hard, rugged places where no one expects them to flourish.They are resilient in ways a garden bloom could never be.* One of my favourite wildflowers, purely for its magnificent resilience, is the Evening Primrose, which flourishes — nearly everywhere — here…
