A Visit to Clearfield County

Many people have places they go annually, often at the same time of the year, but how does the destination and the scenery on the way change and how does it look, say two months earlier or two months later?

I experienced this over the weekend when I made a serendipitous trip to the family owned cottage in Clearfield County.

My usual trip time is the last week of July when summer’s sweltering heat is blowing out the windows and shade and iced tea are at the top of the agenda.

I can say without hesitation that springtime at Mahaffey Camp, as it is known, is over the top, as the flora is just beginning to show off.

The mountains make the area colder and maybe a full growing zone behind Morrisons Cove, and Saturday’s show was one to behold.

The cinnamon ferns and lesser fern varieties are everywhere. The dozen or so growing in front of the cottage are uncurling and the brown cinnamon beards, which gives them their name, are at the second level and continue to reach to the sky as they open a little each day.

White flowering astilbe, planted 40 years ago, is determined that the half dozen hosta varieties, equally determined to take ownership of the two small garden patches in front of the cottage, will not force them to give up their valuable space.

But sometimes it’s the smallest things that give the most pleasure.

Sweet Woodruff, planted four decades ago during an herbal revival of sorts, is more charming than it was when it first went into the ground.

I knew the plants were still growing but was convinced they no longer flowered, and I was so wrong.

Tiny, sweet masses of flowers are everywhere. They fill the area on the east of the cottage as well as areas far and away from the end of the property line.

A patch of rare purple leafed loosestrife, which produces a brilliant yellow flower, is already mature. It is ready to bloom for the pleasure of another.

One flower that loves showing off during the late August visits is thread leaf coreopsis.

Also planted about 40 years ago, each late July it allows the hot Clearfield County sun to coax open its small yellow flowers.

While not invasive, it had grown and matured into a handsome plant which this year spread into a long green porch box which found its way into the garden. Plans are to let its just as it is.

Saturday’s trek north also brought a great deal of pleasure from the roadside scenery, especially Patton north. The naturalized lilacs are everywhere and at times their sweet fragrance can reach the open car window.

Small patches of deep purple French lilacs jump out planted along driveways and house foundations, but it’s the native ones that form huge splashes of color as they grow along the base of the mountains or in undeveloped wood lots closer to the roadside.

Nearly every stretch of Route 36 north, beginning at Ashville is prolific with Sweet Cicily, that wild flower with tight deep cut foliage and masses of white flowers at the top of the stems.

The shiny black seeds, cast about after blooming, promises an abundance of show stopping flowers great for the back of the garden next year.