First spring wildflowers

Spring is a little late in Kentucky this year, and it was great to finally find wildflowers at Natural Bridge State Resort Park this past weekend. I was glad to see small, easily-overlooked spring beauties (Claytonia virginica). A close-up view of their tiny blossoms does indeed reveal their loveliness.

spring-beauty-blossoms

It was also good to find hepaticas (Hepatica acutiloba). The small bunches of blossoms scattered among the brown leaves reminded me of woodland bouquets. Most of the blossoms were white, and finding the lavender ones was extra special.

Hepatica blossoms

A closer look reveals exquisite details.

Hepatica blossom close-up

I get a warm feeling knowing these beautiful flowers, although they look fragile, manage to survive in the woods year after year to announce another spring season. It’s like seeing old friends again.

12 thoughts on “First spring wildflowers”

  1. Betty – gorgeous spring wildflower photographs! Enjoyed your presentation last week about creating Monarch Way Stations. I’m even more motivated to have one in my yard this year!

    1. Sorry I didn’t get to talk to you, Kathy, however I’d delighted to know you are thinking of a Monarch Waystation.

  2. Betty,
    Thanks for the photos of spring beauties, a wildflower I have admired for years. Finally this year I have them where I want them in my own yard. None of the wildflower nurseries sell them, so I dug up a few of them last spring from a park nearby and put them in my garden. Now they are blooming, so charming and delicate!
    Jane

    1. You’re ahead of me, Jane. I don’t have them in my yard…yet, but plan to work on that. I like your description of charming and delicate.

  3. So delicate and so beautiful – indeed each spring resurrects
    what to the eye appears dead but, instead, is far from it and teaches us
    the basic truth of existence. Happy Spring Time!

    1. Yes, Beth, I agree. It’s all so amazing and would seem unbelievable if we weren’t able to see it for ourselves. Happy spring time to you, too.

    1. Herpetology weekend sounds like fun, Judy,and a good photo opportunity as well. I was happy to see a small garter snake in our backyard today.

  4. Beautiful, Betty! We are having a terrible wind storm right now and it has just flattened my tulips so I was glad to see your beauties surviving on their own.

    1. Keli,I’m amazed at how wildflowers can seem so fragile and yet do quite well if we only leave them alone. Sorry to hear about your tulips. Hope they will recover. Mine are just now beginning to bloom.

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