A little rock gardening inspiration, anyone?

Along the trail to Helen Lake, a popular hike, in Banff:

Crevice garden:

A very interesting outcrop, one of a couple (quartzite?; Gog Formation?) with completely different character than the surrounding rocks - the Dolomites in the background:

And a closeup of similar rocks with wonderful growths of lichens... now this is rock gardening!

Another crevice, with more lichens:

Not all that much in bloom any longer in this area... seedheads of Anemone occidentalis:

Cirque Peak and nice kruppelholz* of sub-alpine fir:

(*"crippled wood" in German, caused by environmental stunting; as opposed to "krummholz" which indicates a genetic origin for stunting of growth)

General scenery... across the way, Bow Lake and Bow Glacier:

One last shot of the lichens! If only it was possible to emulate this at home...

WOW!!! Wonderful photos :-) Thanks for the tour I really enjoyed it :-)

MOST excellent!

Things are really put into perspective in the general scenery picture. You see the rocks (talus?) in the forground that the trees are growing in; and the same stuff look like sand across the lake and below the exposed rock of the mountains.

The lichen is almost unworldly! Thanks for another fascinating tour!
Tam

Thanks for the comments! It's an excellent hike, into a really beautiful and interesting area!