“Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.� Henry David Thoreau
Tiny Taxonomy attempts to highlight the beauty and frailty of paradise’s most inconspicuous and often ignored players: the plants of the forest floor. By providing a partial inventory of some of the smallest operators of the boreal forest ecosystem and by elevating these species from their tradition position underfoot, it is hoped that their highly delicate and intricate nature will be made evident. Tiny Taxonomy places the plants of the boreal forest floor on display, bringing the tiniest specimens closer to eye level. Although trees are the main structural element of the forest ecosystem, the groundcover is a rich patchwork of seedlings, grasses, mosses, lichens and herbs. These species are essential to process of decomposition, the principal process in the cycle of continuance in the forest. The floor is also home to thousands of insects and animals, and provides support for trees responsible for the formation of the canopy. The associated plants tend to have small leaves and inconspicuous flowers. There are ecological advantages to being low and small: mat formations are ideal for water conservation; a low surface area prevents wind desiccation and compact growth enables efficient nutrient transportation. Although gardens take years to develop to their full potential, Tiny is planted as it is imagined. Tiny invites the viewer to take a moment to consider the beauty of individual species.
1 Vaccinium boreale Northern Blueberry 2 Athyrium filix-femina Lady Fern 3 Arctostaphylos alpina Alpine Bearberry Viola labradorica Alpine Violet 4 Aconitum lycoctonum Alpine wolfsbane 5 Maianthemum canadense Canada May Flower 6 Viola labradorica Alpine Violet 7 Myosotis sylvatica Wood Forget-me-not 8 Anenome multifida Rubra Dwarf Windflower 9 Picea glauca White Spruce 10 Iris pumilla Dwarf Iris 11 Convallaria majalis Lily of the Valley 12 Houstonia caerulea Azure Bluet 13 Scilla siberica Siberian squil Sagina subulata Pearlwort 14 Carex spicata Spiked Sedge 15 Sisyrinchium angustifolium Blue-eyed Grass 16 Arenaria hookeri Sandwort 17 Primula florindae Cowslip 18 Vaccinium vitis-idaea Lingonberry 19 Anemone nemorosa White Wood Anemone 20 Epimedium rubrum Red Barrenwort
21 Phlox subulata ‘Rose’ Mountain Phlox 22 Cypripedium acuale Pink Lady’s Slipper 23 Primula capitata ssp. mooreana Alpine Primrose 24 Cornus canadensis Bunchberry 25 Waldsteinia fragarioides Barren Strawberry 26 Athyrium filix-femina 'Frizelliae' Tatting Fern 27 Claytonia virginica Fairy Spuds 28 Leontopodium alpinus Edelweiss 29 Dianthus delt. 'Flashing Light' Maiden Pink 30 Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Plumbago 31 Carex pensylvanica Common Oak Sedge 32 Aster alpinus ‘Albus’ Alpine Aster 33 Primula vialii Poker Primrose 34 Pilosella aurantiaca Devil’s Paintbrush 35 Aruncus aethusifolius Dwarf Goats Beard 36 Armeria maritima 'Laucheana' Sea Thrift 37 Aquilegia flabellata 'Ministar' Fan Columbine 38 Fragaria x. ' Shades of Pink' Pink Flowering Strawberry 39 Campanula cochlearifolia Fairy Thimble Bellflower 40 Artemisia sp. Western Mugwort 41 Caltha palustris Marsh Marigold 42 Saxifraga paniculata Livelong Saxifrage
7 6 14
5 13
4 3
20
11
2
27
18
9 17
24
34 33 32
23 31
22
35
26 25
16 15
28
19
10
1
8
21
12
42 41
40 39
30 38
29
37 36
N
1 Vaccinium boreale Northern Blueberry
2 Athyrium filix-femina Lady Fern
3 Arctostaphylos alpina Alpine Bearberry Viola labradorica Alpine Violet
4 Aconitum lycoctonum Alpine Wolfsbane
5 Maianthemum canadense Canada Mayflower
6 Viola labradorica Alpine Violet
7 Myosotis sylvatica Wood Forget-me-not
8 Anenome multifida rubra Dwarf Windflower
9 Picea glauca White Spruce
10 Iris pumilla Dwarf Iris
11 Convallaria majalis Lily of the Valley
12 Houstonia caerulea Azure Bluet
13 Scilla siberica Siberian Squil Sagina subulata Pearlwort
14 Carex spicata Spiked Sedge
15 Sisyrinchium angustifolium Blue-eyed Grass
16 Arenaria hookeri Sandwort
17 Primula florindae Cowslip
18 Vaccinium vitis-idaea Lingonberry
19 Anemone nemorosa White Wood Anemone
20 Epimedium rubrum Red Barrenwort
21 Phlox subulata ‘Rose’ Mountain Phlox
22 Cypripedium acuale Pink Lady’s Slipper
23 Primula capitata ssp. mooreana Alpine Primrose
24 Cornus canadensis Bunchberry
25 Waldsteinia fragarioides Barren Strawberry
26 Athyrium filix-femina ‘Frizelliae’ Tatting Fern
27 Claytonia virginica Fairy Spuds
28 Leontopodium alpinus Edelweiss
29 Dianthus delt. ‘Flashing Light’ Maiden Pink
30 Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Plumbago
31 Carex pensylvanica Common Oak Sedge
32 Aster alpinus ‘Albus’ Alpine Aster
33 Primula vialii Poker Primrose
34 Pilosella aurantiaca Devil’s Paintbrush
35 Aruncus aethusifolius Dwarf Goats Beard
36 Armeria maritima ‘Laucheana’ Sea Thrift
37 Aquilegia flabellata ‘Ministar’ Fan Columbine
38 Fragaria x ‘ Shades of Pink’ Pink Flowering Strawberry
39 Campanula cochlearifolia Fairy Thimble Bellflower
40 Artemisia sp. Western Mugwort
41 Caltha palustris Marsh Marigold
42 Saxifraga paniculata Livelong Saxifrage
Concept et design
Rosetta Sarah Ekin Tiny Taxonomy 2010-2011-2012
Les Jardins de Métis International Garden Festival Grand-Métis, Quebec, Canada Alexander Reford, Director avec
La Pépinière Charlevoix inc. Patricia Gallant Francois Leblanc Carol St.Vincent Major Jean-Yves Roy Image de couverture
Louise Tanguay