The Thrill Of Spring Flowers

For me early spring ephemerals in the garden  are an exciting waiting game.  Some of my favorite plants look mostly dead or missing.   This year with all of the rodent tunnels the possibility of them being gone for good is a bigger concern.  This delightful blue carpet of Giant Glory of the Snow makes me almost giddy! The flower stems are 4-6 inches tall.  Someday I will cut one and bring it indoors, but I really like them where they are.

 

I adore blue flowers and this Siberian squill  hiding in the grass made me get down to get a close up of its blue pollen.  The flowers are like tiny little blue stars growing here and there in the grass.  The original bed where these were planted became overgrown with tall grass.  The survivors are right next to the old bed where Ed keeps the grass cut. 

The first Windflower opened today. These are planted where I can watch them dance in the wind from  my bedroom window on chilly mornings.  While they last they are a special treat.

I gave the windflowers an encore because I could not choose between the pictures. The dark pink bud will be coming right along.  The soft grey leaves are a nearby Rose Campion that will bloom after the windflowers are gone except for the stone marking their place.

Ed and I have become very interested in Native plants.  I have been watching and waiting for the arrival of these Sharp-lobed Hepatica flowers.  Most years last year's leaves remain but this year they did not. That was worrisome.  It is a real joy to see these flowers.  I know my plants will return if they can.  They want to grow and are just waiting for their chance in the rain and the sun.  Spring is a wonderful time in the garden. This is just the beginning!

Purple Pollen

Native Trout Lily first captured our imagination nearly one quarter of a century ago.  In our stony glacial soil, it grows wildly but flowers rarely.  It seemed like a worthy idea to try commercially available plants.  We purchased plants from two different sources on different years.  We now need to try and sort out just what we have.  The plants are vigorous and flower freely.  They may be European immigrants or have originated on the West Coast of North America.  Either way they have made themselves at home in our developing shade garden down near the road.
 

It is difficult to decide which appears more stunning, the split white pollen gathering style or the purple pollen producing anthers.  Combined with the speckled leaves, the visual statement is powerful.  Unfortunately the plant is low growing and the open flowers point downward.  We will need to return with proper equipment to get more photos.  A foam pad to get me flat on the ground and the small tripod to support the camera while it finds its intended focus could produce great pictures.  This is the first day that these flowers were open so we visited them unprepared for what we found.

This purchased Sharp-Lobed Hepatica has been with us for less than one year.  It certainly appears to have found its new home to its liking.  There is a good chance that two more plants will be purchased to plant nearby this one.  A naturally expanding group of this native plant is our goal.  A chance for cross pollination cannot hurt.

Native Wild Ginger has been with us for several years.  Its location along the inside wall of the stone square was less than perfect.  The adjacent Ladies Mantle grew large placing the Wild Ginger in dense shade.  It continued to grow but we believe that its new location between several Sumac trees will result in its more vigorous growth.  We brought our custom mix of woodland soil to this spot.  The impenetrable tree root mass was covered over to provide growing space for the Ginger.  Ground hardwood leaf mulch will add to the topsoil in time while keeping out weeds now.  We have high hopes for the vigorous desirable growth that may happen here.