Rhododendron groenlandicum, Labrador Tea at Polly’s Cove on June 12, 2022. Photo by Roslyn Duffus
Roslyn Duffus made a nice post on the Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society Facebook page illustrating Bearberry, 3-toothed Cinquefoil, Dragon’s Mouth Orchid, Pink Lady’s Slipper, Golden Heather, Labrador Tea all in flower on Sunday June 12 at Polly’s Cove Trail, Peggy’s Cove Preservation Area.
“Where is Polly Cove ? You had a great day hunting” asked a viewer.
I know this area well, and it reminded me of a comprehensive description of the natural history of the area in a 1980 issue of the Halifax Naturalists Newsletter, see page 4 ff (PDF page 7). I still refer to it when I go there.
Roslyn graciously gave me permission to copy her photos and post them on this page. Click on the images for larger versions.
 Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Bearberry |
 Arethusa bulbosa, Dragon’s mouth orchid |
 Lots of Dragon’s Mouth Orchids |
 Lots of Cypripedium acaule, Pink Lady’s Slippers |
 Hudsonia ericoides, Golden Heather |
 Sibbaldiopsis tridentata, Three toothed cinquefoil |
Thanks Roslyn. This place is very special to me. As a new prof at Dalhousie University in 1975, we took students from the first year biology class there, led by Instructor Pat Harding who knew the flora much better than I. It was a great introduction to Nova Scotia for many of the students from away. Even many of the Nova Scotian students had never spent time on our bog and barrens before. On a second field trip, we took them to the intertidal zone.
Years later – in early June of 2004, when I wanted to seriously upgrade my Nova Scotia plant ID skills – I hauled out my old notes and the HFN newsletter articles cited above and went to Polly’s Cove. I repeated the visit many times through 2004 and 2005 to view plants in bog and barrens and forest at different times of year. It’s a great place to spend hours immersed in the surroundings. Roslyn’s photos took me back to those early and those later days.
Another visit is long overdue!