This is literally a hidden gem. Bluff Spring Fen in South Elgin is tucked between a cemetery, the Metra train tracks, a gravel pit/industrial park and a
I’d heard that the purple coneflower here is spectacular this year. Even though its overcast and cool, today is my only chance to see it before the blooms fade. Walking among the ancient bur oaks at the entrance, I’m looking out over the green fen. Green on green. Skunk cabbage, fading foxglove, wispy strands of sedges bowing in the breeze.
The large leaves of native skunk cabbage.
It’s early morning, and birdsong fills the air with life. There are cavities in these thick, tall, rough trunks that I’m sure are home to raccoons and others. I glass for tufts of fur poking out at the edges of the hollows to no avail.
As I round the back of this small kame (a hill made of sediment deposited by long-since-gone glaciers), I see the purple hillside ahead. The sight invigorates me.

I decide to walk the long way around and explore more of the area before looping back to today’s main attraction. The trail is single-track, worn to the bare ground and predominated by boot prints and deer prints. Along the path to the marsh are occasional coneflowers, the tall puffy spikes of Baptista, budding butterfly weed, milkweed and foxglove blooms.
Architectural leaves of compass plant in the foreground, coneflower and baptista blooms Baptista Wild Onion Looking back to the bur oak grove
A pair of mallards
Mallard Hen Lead plant The S tem of the Cup plant
A pair of cedar waxwings

At a gravel
Sedges and Milkweed Butterfly on Yarrow Bumblebee leaving foxglove
Back around the fen to the coneflower kame is a stunning profusion of pinks and purples, new unfurling petals, older, curled petals, stamens loaded with pollen, others already harvested clean. Among this glory, the blazing star
My path overlooking the Marl Flats Curled Upcoming Blazing Star Entwined
I’m distracted by a wild oyster flower seed head. It’s like a giant dandelion with its lacy parachutes ready to carry away it’s seed on the wind.
Oyster Flower Seedhead On it’s way …
I spent more time immersed in the individual coneflower blooms watching bees and butterflies enjoying the bounty.
Pearl Crescent Butterfly Bumblebee
There’s so much more to explore at this small preserve, but I’ve been here a couple of hours and its time to go. I have to come back to see the next act in this spectacular wildflower season. I will explore further then. Special bonus: I didn’t see any ticks today!
No surprise only the cedar waxwings were not tolerating your approach. Most of the creatures in the natural settings you frequent have learned you belong, you are part of them when you are there.
A beautiful, peaceful find! And I wonder why we work so hard to attain beauty in our gardens at home when Mother Nature does it all so easily.
Well, it’s easier to look out the window than gear up, drive and hike! We always want to bring our nature experiences home. I hope your gardens are doing well.