Rosa multiflora (it has no common name except “multiflora rose” and some nicknames too impolite to repeat here) is a noxious and invasive weed that can take over whole hillsides with its thick, rambling, thorny shoots. In June, it’s also one of our most beautiful flowers, covering itself with clusters of white roses and filling the air with rose perfume.

Here are two versions of a Rosa multiflora picture that will make a splendid desktop wallpaper for your computer. Nothing is more restful, or more conducive to productive work, than a view of green leaves and white flowers. Click to enlarge; right-click to download the full-size version.

The wide-screen version is for typical wide-screen screen resolutions of 1680 by 1050 or smaller.

The standard version is for screen resolutions of 1280 by 1024 or smaller.

Stream valleys with precipitous slopes—too precipitous even for Pittsburghers to build on—cut through the city and suburbs everywhere. In the spring, wild woodland flowers take advantage of the last few days before the leaves come out and the shade closes in. These flowers all grew within a few yards of each other in the Squaw Run valley.

Trillium grandiflorum, Large-Flowered Trillium

Mertensia virginica, Virginia Bluebells

Claytonia virginica, Spring Beauty

Phlox divaricata, Blue Phlox

Trillium erectum, Wake-Robin (white form)
[In an earlier version of this article, this was misidentified as Trillium cernuum.]

Tiarellia cordifolia, Foamflower

Viola pallens, Northern White Violet

Viola pennsylvanica, Smooth Yellow Violet

Today’s snow in black and white, as it fell on a clot of trees in a little stream valley in Mount Lebanon.

Snow was falling early this morning, and it kept up all through the day. These are some scenes from the woods of Mount Lebanon, just south of Pittsburgh.

 

Autumn in the woods near Pittsburgh. This forest is dominated by sugar maples, all of which turn the same glorious golden yellow at once.