Nigritella rhellicani - Orchis vanille - Vanilla orchid

This cutie grows between 1500-2500 meters so you will only find it in the mountains. They don't grow very tall, so you have to get onto your knees to stick your nose on it to find out why it has the word vanilla in its name. Ohhhhh! It is soooo worth it!

Wild orchids are all protected in Switzerland, so don't pick it when you see it please!

Daffodils

Spriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!

Cicerbita alpina - Cicerbite des Alpes - Blue Sow-thistle

Apparently the leaves can be eaten as salade or cooked as spinach. But I have never tried it. Will let you know when I do, certainly since it grows like crazy up around the Marlénaz region (behind my house up in Verbier).

Aquilegia vulgaris - Ancolie commune - Common Columbine

This is a toxic plant!

 Be careful because at my house it grows in my veggie garden, so be aware that not everything that grows or is eaten by wild animals or even domestic animals is good for human consumption.

I like the back trumpet shapes in the petals (technically called spurred petals)!

It is this claw shape that has given it its name 'aquila' is Latin for eagle.

 It is definitely tooting its horn!

It produces a lot of seeds, so it is impossible to get out of a veggie garden. 

It attracts bumblebees and I love to watch their furry bodies inside them. 

The openings are not adequately shaped for our honey bees, so they actually pierce the back trumpets to get to the nectar! Isn't nature cool?

Geranium silvaticum - Wood cranesbill - Géranium des bois

Hey guess what? 

These are all over the place all summer long, 

at most altitudes people walk around in, 

and they are edible! 

Yeah, just pick a bunch (make sure they are not in a polluted spot) 

and scatter them in your salads or picnic!

Orchis ustulata - Orchis brûlée - Dark-winged Orchis

One of the many local wild orchids one can find in the Alps.

Two little burnt tips sticking out of an alpine cow pasture! 

They must be why the Swiss Bagnes Cheeses are so yummie!

Knautia silvatica - Knautie des forêts - Wood Scabious

*POW*

 This is why I love to take macro photos in nature! This friendly purple flower looks like a firework exploding! Just what one needs to see on a day when it is raining halfway up the mountain!