Serendipity and Orchids: Summer Lake

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Summer Lake

“O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all:

the earth is full of thy riches.”

On July 20 our son-in-law and I went to Summer Lake in Skagit County to see the carnivorous plants there. These plants are not native to our area with the exception of the Roundleaf Sundew. The other plants were all put there as part of a rescue operation and have established themselves, in some cases very vigorously. These plants all grow on a floating bog and it is quite difficult to get from the land to the bog. We went first to the north end of the bog where the access is easiest and explored there before attempting to get to the main area of the muskeg. We tried by way of the backside of the lake and a road that runs there, but had to fight our way through thick underbrush and boggy ground, though we finally did make it. We then explore all around the southwest, south and east sides of the bog before heading back home muddy and wet. The Venus' Flytraps grow in several areas around the lake, the Yellow Pitcher Plants mainly on the south and south west sides of the lake, the Purple Pitcher Plants all on the east side, the White Pitcher Plants on the west side and the Roundleaf Sundews everywhere. We saw and photographed a number of different Dragonflies and Crab Spiders on some of the Pitcher Plants. 'Twas a very good day.

on the north end of the lake