During the winter in particular, the city of Victoria experiences near rain forest conditions. As you can imagine, that means lots of green.
Because of all the moisture, the moss is particularly well developed.
It ranges from these little yellow bits …
… to these long, luxurious strands …
… and can even envelop whole tree limbs to such an extent that other plants decide to grow in the moss. The thick layer of moss on this tree branch is now providing a home to a fern family.
So not only is the grass still green and many of the plants and shrubs are still vibrant, there is the added and ubiquitous presence of moss and its lovely hue, a distinct counterpoint to the overcast and rain of the season.
Happy weekend.
In the Net! - Pictures and Stories of Life 
It’s interesting stuff, isn’t it? Happy weekend, Lynette!
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Thank you very much. 😊 Agreed! An entire rain forest ecosystem starts with moss.
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We always joke that if we stood still long enough, moss and ferns would grow on us. It does a add a nice look to it, but I think all the moisture is hard on man made materials and house maintenance. We did enjoy our nicely plumped smooth skin while we were there. Alas, we are now drying out back home. Happy Saturday Lynette. Allan
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Thank you very much, Allan. It would! I have family living in Victoria who all report that the moss growth can cause a lot of problems especially with roofs, sidewalks and driveways. The weight of it will break tree limbs and the moisture it holds can cause diseases. So it’s not always a good thing but yes, for the skin it’s pretty great!
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I think you will find the yellow stuff is lichens. A sign of clean air. We have plenty of lichens and misses here. A similar mild climate.
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**mosses. Darn autocorrect…
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That happens to me, too.
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I tried to identify this particular yellow moss or lichen but got two different answers from two different gardeners. I agree that it looks like a lichen but I saw some areas where it petered out into the regular green moss. Yes, it’s a very similar climate although Vancouver and Vancouver Island likely get more rainfall.
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Looks very similar to what we have here in the PNW. Your photos have captured their beauty. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
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Thank you very much, Tricia. Yes, the PNW has a very similar climate and also rain forest characteristics. I find that the whole coast is just so beautiful.
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So much greenery, but I’m not sure I could deal with the rain. Maggie
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Lots of people, especially those not raised in Victoria or Vancouver, are definitely affected by the overcast and rain, but yes, definitely very green!
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Moss is so amazing and beautiful, lovely photos, Lynette! ❤️😊
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Thank you very much, John. There’s a lot of it here! 😊
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You are welcome, Lynette. 😊
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My pleasure. 😊
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Yes, we have lots of that kind of emerald too. Trying to get it out of the grass.
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Yes, I’ve seen it too and my nephew was telling me about trying to get it out of his lawn. Moss growth definitely isn’t always a good thing.
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And the trouble is that if you put things on the lawn to kill the moss, the birds pick at it and that’s not good for them.
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Agreed. It’s difficult. My nephew is considering removing his front lawn and replacing it with plants but he hasn’t planned much further than that.
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Fine title for this post, Lynette! I enjoy moss and lichen. You’ve provided some lovely examples.
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Thank you very much, Belinda. 😊 It’s not easy to deal with at all (roofs, for instance) but it’s beautiful and a major part of the ecosystem.
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Beautiful set of shots. The moss looks like it’s thriving in those conditions.
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Thank you, Linda. It’s definitely thriving in all that rain and those damp conditions and can be a bit of a problem too as it can grow into roofs and lawns and can even split sidewalks!
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I love photos of moss. We have a lot of moss in the forest in UK and I am always enjoying looking at it..
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I agree, Mélodie. I find it beautiful but it can also cause a lot of problems with roofs, sidewalks and trees (at least in this near rain forest environment)n. It can unfortunately get so heavy that branches will break or the tree will start to develop diseases.
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Thank you for this love-letter to moss. So many species of moss, with so many textures and shades, a whole mini-world. Have you ever visited the Camosun Bog in Vancouver, in rainy season? Mosses, in all their glory.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it, Penny. I have not visited the Camosun Bog but thanks for the heads up. We are planning a trip to Vancouver for some time in the next two or three months and I would be interested in seeing it. Cheers.
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