I might be imagining things and it could just be a normal function of surviving the winter, there just seems to be more wildflowers on the forest floor this spring. It is possible that the Great Easter Freeze of '07' and a late freeze and snow last year on April 29th dampened my first viewing of this natural display.
There are at least four species of violets and four species of trilliums. Bloodroot, Chickweed, Geranium, Dicentra, Spring Beauty, Toothworts, Larkspur and the various Anemone species to name just a few, add to the delicate carpet of colors that glitter in the mottled light of a brown forest floor converting into green.
The trilliums gather in waves that wash down the forest slope.
There are more Dogwoods this year as well. Driving the local roads reveals this normally hidden small tree is quite abundant. The dogwood with its large petals stands out from the numerous other white, spring blooming tree species that color the still thin canopy.
This is a versatile tree, equally at home in the wild forest and the cultivated garden.
The Dogwoods in this garden were not planted. They were saved and incorporated into the wild cultivated garden.
A double flowered cherry tree was added in the tended garden that grows here. Behind it, down through a valley to the stream and up the slope to my place is one half of the garden that is never tended, only enjoyed.
If you count the roadside vegetable garden and the sunny utility meadow as separate gardens, there would be four distinct gardens on this mountain.
A fifth one at my place is taking shape.
Posts
8 comments:
Just beautiful! Thank you for sharing. I especially love the blooming dogwoods and the cherry tree! I am looking forward to watching your new garden take shape.
It's a beautiful carefree garden....The word verification is uppers! Yes those native gardens are uppers and those late freezers real downers.
To think that it's all natural just amazes me. Just hiking and gazing at everything blooming. I bet it's a huge stress reducer. I'm glad this spring is better than the past two. How about pictures of the creek? :)
OMW, That is the most beautiful mtn. I love the dogwood & cherry trees. A person could literally get lost {to the world} walking & looking at all that beauty.
Thanks for sharing.
What about an abandoned fireplace garden? That would be six.
Siria, I will be needing some Dogwoods at my place since it did not come with any.
Gail as the resident gardeners say, "There are good years and bad years." We are just more susceptible to the late damaging freezes up here.
Grace I can wander into the woods for a couple of hours just looking. Our creek may not be all that photogenic it is so tiny and often not much more than a wet spot with a trickle. Streams have to start somewhere and that is where we are, the beginning.
Lola, it is looking good this year for sure.
Chuck the abandoned fireplace is the Blueberry garden. More are supposed to be planted this year and I do need to burn the rubbish piles around it. They distract from its charm.
I always enjoyed the dogwoods blooming in my youthful Indiana springtimes. None up here, though we have a lot of highbush cranberries and wild plums. Somehow it's not quite the same...but the trilliums make up for it. Blueberry garden? Mmmm....sounds good. I bought some very cold-hardy saskatoons to compliment my blueberries, gooseberries and currants...lookin' forward to a pie or crisp of SOME sort! :)
So much beauty on the mountain - I love your wildlings in the woods. Thanks for sharing them.
Post a Comment