Spring Wildflowers at John Dean Provincial Park
Every April, the meadows near the summit of Mount Newton turn blue.
The colour comes from common camas, a wildflower with six-petalled blooms that open in dense clusters across the Garry oak clearings at John Dean Provincial Park. The display lasts roughly three to four weeks, peaking in mid- to late April depending on how the spring has gone. A warm March pushes things earlier. A cold, wet one delays them.
What blooms and when
The wildflower season at John Dean begins before most people notice. In late February, the first satinflower (grass widow) pushes up through the rocky soil on the south-facing slopes. These small purple flowers are easy to miss unless you’re looking for them, but they’re the signal that the growing season has started.
By late March, the shooting stars appear. These distinctive flowers hang upside down on slender stems, pink and white, in the open meadows along the upper trails. They overlap with the early camas blooms and for a week or two the meadows carry both colours at once.
Camas dominates April. The blue is vivid and photographs well, but it’s more striking in person. A meadow full of camas under overcast light has a saturated quality that camera sensors struggle with. Stand in it.
Other species to watch for through the season:
- Fawn lily (white fawn lily, Erythronium oregonum): nodding white flowers with reflexed petals, blooming in the forest understory in March and April
- Chocolate lily (Fritillaria affinis): a dark, mottled flower that blooms alongside the camas in open areas; look closely, because the colour makes it easy to overlook
- Western buttercup: bright yellow in the meadows from April onward
- Sea blush (Plectritis congesta): small pink clusters on the rocky outcrops at the summit
By late May, most of the spring display has finished. The grasses dry out, the meadows turn gold, and the summer wildflowers (a sparser crowd) take over.
Where to look
The best wildflower meadows at John Dean are on the upper slopes near the summit, along the Cy Hampson Trail and in the clearings south of the Summit Trail junction. These south-facing Garry oak openings get the sun exposure that the spring bulbs need.
The camas meadows are concentrated in a few specific clearings. Follow the Summit Trail from the main parking lot and watch for the blue appearing through the trees as you gain elevation. The largest meadow is just below the summit viewpoint.
The forest trails lower on the mountain hold the fawn lilies and trillium. These species prefer shade and richer soil. The Woodward Trail passes through good habitat.
A note on camas
Camas bulbs were a staple food for the W̱SÁNEĆ and other Coast Salish peoples for thousands of years. The meadows where camas grows on the peninsula are not accidental; they were actively managed through controlled burning that maintained the open conditions the plant requires. The Garry oak meadows at John Dean exist in part because of that long management history.
Common camas (Camassia quamash) is edible when properly prepared. Great camas (Camassia leichtlinii) also grows on the peninsula. Death camas (Zigadenus venenosus), which is toxic, blooms at the same time and in similar habitats. It has white or cream-coloured flowers, not blue, but the plants can look similar before blooming. This is not a situation where casual identification is wise.
Visiting tips
Park at the main lot on Dean Park Road. The summit loop, including time spent standing in meadows, takes about an hour.
Stay on the trails. The Garry oak meadows are fragile, and the soil between the rock outcrops compacts easily underfoot. The flowers grow right to the trail edge; you don’t need to walk into the meadow to see them.
Dogs are not permitted at John Dean Provincial Park. This is a provincial park regulation, and it’s posted at the trailhead.
Peak bloom varies year to year. If you’re timing a trip specifically for the camas, check local naturalist groups or the Victoria Natural History Society for current reports. The bloom can shift by two weeks in either direction depending on spring weather.