Sunflowers by the Sand Dunes

[MonikaC]

Late August is the time for sunflowers at the Great Sand Dunes NP in Colorado. There was a paucity of said flowers within the dunes this year, but outside of the park, they proliferate.

 

[AlanLichty]

I clicked on this expecting a couple of blooms around the dunes so the sea of sunflowers as far as we can see was a bi of a surprise and a very nice surprise at that. A very cool find. Anything unusual about the summer conditions in the dunes that might be behind their absence? Sure seems to plenty of them in this location.

 

[MonikaC]

I clicked on this expecting a couple of blooms around the dunes so the sea of sunflowers as far as we can see was a bi of a surprise and a very nice surprise at that. A very cool find. Anything unusual about the summer conditions in the dunes that might be behind their absence? Sure seems to plenty of them in this location.

We didn't have the monsoons (or even much regular rain) this last summer but we have had high temperatures. Maybe the heat radiating out from the sand combined with the lack of moisture? Last year was unusual in that the water in Medano Creek, which flows in front of the dunes in June, maybe part of July, was flowing in late August. This year it was dry, which is to be expected in late August.

 

[Douglas Sherman]

Another beautiful image, Monika.

 

[John Holbrook]

Great image Monika! It’s always nice to see scenes through someone else’s eyes.

 

[MonikaC]

Thanks, Doug & John!

 

[JimFox]

Like Alan I was expecting some single blooms. But I do like what you got, a field of wild sunflowers! That's awesome!

 

[MonikaC]

Like Alan I was expecting some single blooms. But I do like what you got, a field of wild sunflowers! That's awesome!

I guess since my summer wildflower posts are of single flowers, that's a reasonable assumption. Glad I surprised you!

 

[Michael13]

A gorgeous scene! My eye is drawn to the golden dunes in the center.

 

[MonikaC]

A gorgeous scene! My eye is drawn to the golden dunes in the center.

Those aren't the dunes, just where the sun was hitting in the valley. The dunes were behind me. With the sun rays hitting there, I thought about making a reference to ET.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Nice sunflower show.