Possibly the most flowery place in the world,” reads the caption for the photo Bob Gibbons made on Mazama Ridge near Paradise.
The book, “Wildflower Wonders: The 50 Best Wildflower Sites in the World,” was published Wednesday and contains 200 color photos and short write-ups on each spot.
Gibbons, a photographer and tour guide, has traveled five continents and more than 20 countries, including Ireland, Turkey, South Africa, Iran and Australia to get photos for his book.
Whether you’re a gardener, naturalist or traveler (armchair or actual) there’s something appealing in this book. Gardeners will get inspiration from nature’s bounty while travelers will appreciate tips on the best times to visit.
Gibbons has selected only sites that offer access, a long display and a varied palette of flowers. The cover photo shows a Greek hillside covered in a rainbow of wildflowers. It’s a nice reminder that Greece has more going for it than a crippling debt crisis.
In the U.S., Gibbons visits Washington, Oregon, Colorado and California. In addition to Rainier, Olympic National Park gets a nod as one of the top 50.
Gibbons informs his readers that if you can only visit one site in North America, make it Mount Rainier. He calls it a magical place. The author also suggests nearby Chinook Pass on state Route 410. Following the two page write-up on Rainier is a panoramic photo shot at Mazama showing lupine, paintbrush and other flowers.
In the Olympics, Gibbons heralds the vast reaches of avalanche lilies and white spires of beargrass flowers that flank the park’s mountains and ridges. For visitors from out of the area, he suggests visits to the park’s Hoh and Quinault rainforests where flowers give way to moss-draped trees.
If Gibbons is as thorough on the rest of his sites as he is on Rainier and Olympic, this book will make an excellent compendium in a traveler’s arsenal. And for the gardener it serves as a reminder that nature, not people, makes the most spectacular gardens.
Craig Sailor: 253-597-8541
craig.sailor@thenewstribune.com
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/11/19/1883433/most-flowery-likely-mount-rainier.html#ixzz1eHSYNRqC
