Friday, May 09, 2008

Friday Flowers: The first week of May

April showers bring May flowers....

We didn't get many April showers but the May flowers are appearing in rapid succession even as birds are arriving daily. I took these four pictures last weekend. Marsh Marigolds have carpeted the boggy sections of the woods in gold. Wild and cultivated fruit trees are coming into bloom. Jack in the Pulpits are poking up through the dead leaves in moist areas of the bush. I bought one at the local market last year and planted it in my garden. But I do not see it coming up in our dry sandy soil this spring.

At the east entrance to our city is a formal garden that is favourite site for wedding pictures and a lovely place to walk during the day. Rockway Gardens was constructed in 1933 by the Kitchener Horticultural Society. Many local citizens have volunteered time and money over the years to maintain and improve the grounds. The flower at the bottom right is Crown Imperial (fritillaria imperialis). The blooms are very spectacular.

There is beauty everywhere, from the wild flowers on the forest floor to the gardens and orchards that are tended by local cultivators .

8 comments:

  1. I love seeing the jack-in-the-pulpit! I have not seen one in years as I have been living out west for quite awhile. I use to find them in the woods of Connecticut all the time where I grew up. Thanks for these beautiful photos and a trip down memory lane for me!

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  2. A beautiful variety of flowers Ruth. Thanks for sharing them with us. Have a great weekend!

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  3. Speaking of the lack of April showers, did you know that despite high waters, Lanark County already has a fire ban in effect?

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  4. Wonderful flowers. Jack-in-the-pulpit has always been my favorite. It may not be the most spectacular, but it was the first one I could consistently identify when I was a kid. It made me feel so smart.

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  5. Not many April showers? You got more snow than we did this winter, but we have been getting April showers in buckets.
    Love the May flowers.

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  6. Ruth,

    I love wildflowers. When I was a child we had a little woods on our property and an abundance of wildflowers grew there. Hepaticas, adder tongues, jack-in-the-Pulpit and a wide variety of others.

    Sometimes the boys, Mom and I head off to Apps Mills, which is on Rest Acres Road in Brant County to see the trillums and other wildflowers. There are lots that grow there.

    A long time ago when I lived in another place, I bought trillums at a flower sale and grew them in the shady area of the backyard. I regretted that I had to leave them there when we moved.

    Thanks for sharing these wonderful spring blooms with us. I always enjoy visiting with you.

    Blessings,
    Mary

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  7. Kbirds- I am sure a lot of people here don't see them in the spring. Their season is short and they are rather subtle, but so interesting.

    Jayne- Thanks...the flowers on your blog are always elegant.

    AC-It has been a very dry spring after such a snowy winter. We had one bad grass fire in our area already.

    NCMW- I learned about them in the Burgess Flower Book for children. I always thought they were interesting.

    Jean- Thanks!

    KGMom- All the rain seems to be south of the great lakes this spring. We hear there is rain in the forecast, but it hasn't been amounting to much.

    Mary- I missed Hepaticas this spring but hope to catch some wild orchids later in the season if I am lucky. I have one trillium in my garden that I moved from my grandmother's garden.

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