I know that several readers out there are gardeners, and this post is for them!  Here are some more photographs of Colorado’s abundant wildflowers:

Native prickly poppy, Soapstone Natural Area north of Ft. Collins

Blanket flowers in the morning light, Estes Park

Paintbrush, Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain bluebells, Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain Bee Plant, Great Sand Dunes National Park

Cow Parsnip, Coalbank Pass

One of those yellow wildflowers at a rest stop on the Million-Dollar Highway

More yellow wildflowers

Colorado Columbine

Colorado Columbine growing wild at Maroon Bells

Monument Plant, Maroon Bells

A single open flower on a monument plant

Fireweed, Maroon Bells

Yellow wildflowers, Maroon Bells

Unidentified wildflower, Maroon Bells

And my very favorite wildflower from this road trip, the Mariposa Lily, Maroon Bells

Mariposa Lilies, Maroon Bells

Mariposa Lily

Mariposa Lily

Flower in the Crannied Wall
by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Flower in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of crannies,
I hold you here, root and all, in my hand.
Little flower — but if I could understand
What you are, root and all, and all in all,
I should know what God and man is.