I know nothing about wildflowers other than that I really like 'em. Red ones, white ones, yellow ones, blue ones. That's why I took a tour on the Grand Mesa recently with a bunch of flower fanatics from the Western Colorado Gardening Foundation.

In a field of yellow dandelions, which I learned were non-native, I'd see only dandelions. These “botanizers” would discover 15 different plants, grasses and flowers, all native to this part of the world, then stare and photograph in wonder at the beauty surrounding them.

We were led across the Grand Mesa by botanist Kathy Darrow, author of a great wildflower guide called "Wild About Wildflowers: Extreme Botanizing in Crested Butte, Colorado.” In the guide, as well as this trip, Darrow discussed wildflowers found only in the southern Rockies, and she knows her stuff. (She has a B.A. in Biology and Art from Colorado College and an M.S. in Botany and Ecology at Colorado State. She taught environmental education and has worked as a botanist, environmental consultant, and researcher.)

The book is packed with great photos and descriptions of native wildflowers. So was the Grand Mesa the other day.

We found tall white Valerian, which as it turns out, has certain medicinal uses as a mild sedative. However, for 10% of the population, including Kathy, it acts as a stimulant.

We photographed Monument Plants (Green Gentian), which may have 100 flowers per plant, and 100 seeds per flower, yet out of 10,000 seeds, it will produce only one plant to replace itself, AND each plant can grow from two to seven feet tall AND live to be 30 and 60 years old. (See how much I learned?!)

AND, we'd barely stepped out of the truck at the Crag Crest Trailhead near Island Lake.

We found Elderberry, large shrubs with beautiful white flowers, purple Phacelia, yellow Arnica and five different varieties of Potentilla.

We moved to two different spots along the Lands End Road. One was a wet, grassy meadow, the other near the edge of Land's End, not far from the visitor center. We found reddish Kings Crown Sedum, yellow buttercups, marsh marigolds and an interesting hybrid of Scarlet Gilia.

We found the Grand Mesa's own brilliant blue Grand Mesa Penstemon, and we found the Mesa's own infamous mosquitoes, but they weren't horrendous. A little bug juice did the trick.

If you'd like to find a copy of Darrow's book, go to www.wildaboutwildflowers.net. Then, go botanizing on the Grand Mesa – only an hour's drive from downtown Grand Junction.

Take I-70 east into DeBeque Canyon, to Exit 49. That's Highway 65, a National Scenic Byway and it's a great drive. Travel through the tiny town of Mesa (make sure you stop and eat on your way back!) Then, just keep heading up the mountain. It's beautiful right now and the wildflowers are out. You'll find both Crag Crest Trail and Lands End Road from Highway 65, but you can pull over almost anywhere and botanize!