Spreading phlox forms mats of flowers at mid- to high elevations. This photograph, taken at roughly 1500m (@ 4900 feet) above sea level, was the lowest I observed the plant, while driving up the switchbacks on the side of the mountain capped by Blackwell Peak in E.C. Manning Provincial Park. Phlox diffusa can have flowers in colours ranging from pink to lavender to white, and the full diversity of colour was seen at this roadside site.

As an aside, I'd like to thank Steven (aka “plep”) for mentioning the Photo of the Day in his Monday, May 16th list of links. Steven compiles and reviews high-quality cultural, historical, literary and scientific web sites every weekday on his site; I like to think of his site as “The Journal of the Human Endeavour”. Well worth a visit.