Will the Woods Bloom Again?

Here is the woods this morning...What treasures lie just under this snowcover? As I walk in my woods...I experience the stillness of winter. No bird song...although I heard a bird chirping just the other morning while I was still in bed. The next pictures are of the wildflowers that have grown from seed in this same area. I maintain the front only, maybe 8 ft. in. I let the back just grow wild, so it is a pleasure for the wildlife and me.

One of my pleasures would have to be... these wildflowers in my woods. I love these flowers that come before the fleshing out of the trees that block the sunlight. They are little surprises for me. The whole area is full of wildflowers in the spring...I am thrilled to find just one or two Jack in the Pulpits. Daisys, Phlox and Dianthus to name a few.

Some other new favorites are the Virginia Bluebells...a pass a long plant from a fellow gardener. It is spreading slowly now. I remember where it is...planted at the base of a huge tree. They don't last long, but are well worth the wait. They come up each Spring with their nodding blue flowers. The Wild Ginger is planted at the base of my statue of St. Francis. The plant is loved for it's shiny leaves not it's bloom. This plant came from my garden in Hampshire. I have helped the woods along a bit, by adding flowering shrubs, some herbs, a couple of trees, and some Lilies. My bench is there to rest on and watch the wildlife and maybe visit with a neighbor.

I have planted wildflower seeds in the fall for the past few years. I wait until the woods are bare of leaves and then take a 1/2 lb. bag of seed and scatter it all around. These pictures are some of the flowers that I get from those seeds. They are always a surprise when I first see them coming up. Actually, I have pulled up some of the wildflowers by mistake...only to find them blooming in another area. Last year there were lots of wild strawberries growing. They hadn't been there before. I do hope that they come back this year...maybe they will choke out some of the garlic mustard that is so prolific in our area. Our forest preserves have days set aside for volunteers to come and help eradicate the wild mustard. I've never participated because I have enough to pull here in my own garden. So, on to why I am thinking about this woodsy area...I didn't scatter seeds last fall. Will the woods be full of wildflowers this year? What surprises does Mother Nature have for me?

It's snowing like crazy right now. The east coast got hit with a 6th snowstorm. This will only amount to an inch or two (so says the weatherman) We may be in for a big snowstorm on the weekend. Everything in the woods has been tucked in and covered up with snow this winter. As I look out the window, it is all just a palette of browns, greys, and white. Soon it will come alive with subtle colors to beckon to me to come and sit a while... and bring my camera.

Balisha