Stairs in the Forest

My father, brother, and I built these steps in my parent's redwood forest fives years or so ago. The redwood logs supporting the steps are falling apart and beautiful woodland plants have filled in.

Like this mystery woodland sedge (Carex sp.). It is arguably my favorite species on the property.

And here it is with a carpet of Piggybag Plant (Tolmei menziesii) and candyflower (Claytonia sibirica).

The stairway is shaded with red alder, cascara sagrada, redwoods, spruce, and a lone black cottonwood growing in the ravine below the stairs. The understory consists of elderberry, salmonberry, red huckleberry, and thimbleberry (leaf pictured below), among many, many other species.