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| Various woodland plants, including Trillium grandiflorum, Hydrophyllum virginianum, and Geranium maculatum, all of which were planted by Mother Nature in this location. |
In the woodland, every year is different. While some things stay the same, others shift and change.
As in past years, the expected ephemerals have shown their faces. What's different is that some have moved their locations, while others suffered damage from an overpopulation of rabbits.
I can't show you the Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) because the rabbits ate them. Oh, I know I could try Technique A and Technique B to repel the rabbits (I did try several rabbit repellents, and they didn't work for the Mertensia). But my original plan was to encourage Virginia Bluebells to colonize freely in the woodland. That won't be happening here, on this property. Although I plan to plant some native Alliums around them...
The rabbits also trampled the Trillium erectum plants just as those beautiful plants were about to bloom. Bye-bye for this year.
The Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) (just about to bloom) are sparser this year. I think it's because the neighbors who border that part of the woodland cut down several large trees--dousing the Mayapple patch in too much sun. Perhaps that will encourage other wildflowers to fill in.
T. grandiflorum might colonize a little more with the increased light on the forest floor.
Same with T. sessile.
We always have quite a few Jack-in-the-Pulpits (Arisaema triphyllum) and this year is no exception.
The Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) is spreading, and I'm very happy about that.
I thought I'd lost the Spring Beauties (Claytonia virginica) and the False Rue Anemone (Enemion biturnatum), but those patches had simply shifted location slightly.
Other plants that have changed, yet stayed the same, are the Violets, including the yellow Viola pubescens and the various shades of blue Viola sororia. They've moved around, but as always there are many of them in various colorful shades.
The woodland is awake!
My dream garden is a woodland garden, which regrettably isn't possible to create in my own area. I love all those spring ephemerals. The bunny horde not so much. The bunnies made a relatively brief appearance here this year - but then the hawks and the coyotes showed up.
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy with the woodland, but I think I would enjoy your conditions, too, Kris--especially in the winter. Re: the rabbits...unfortunately, we have a great burst of housing and building development in the area lately, which has driven away the coyotes. We still have hawks, but not enough. The rabbits are rampant.
DeleteThose furry beasts. They are so annoying and destructive. UGH... Your woodland is looking lovely despite them. My mertensia came up this year but didn't bloom. Same with Dutchman's Breeches. I don't know what that was all about. Strange. This has been a strange and wonderful spring. I am not complaining.
ReplyDeleteYes, they are. Sorry to hear about your VA Bluebells and Dutchman's Breeches. It has been a weird spring, and now with the milder weather everything is blooming at once. It's beautiful, but crazy!
DeleteBeth, these woodland treasures are so delightful. Just lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susie. It's funny that even though these flowers are so short-lived, but the woodland seems most at peace and homey this time of year. :)
DeleteThe Spring Beauties are really cute. The rabbits ate most of my Virginia Bluebells also! Fortunately not all of them. When does the rabbit population stop exploding? Shouldn't the coyotes and foxes eat them? They are lying down on the job.
ReplyDeleteDarn rabbits! We have so much development going on nearby, that I think the predators have been driven out. I had read that rabbits don't eat Virginia Bluebells, but obviously that source was wrong. Dang! Bluebells are so pretty.
DeleteWow! I love your photos! They are so pretty and lovely to see as I am facing wintery days.
ReplyDeleteThank you! We are just coming out of some late cool weather, so I'm really looking forward to warm, sunny weather now. The change of seasons makes life interesting, right?
DeleteI do love Spring flowers. We recently went on a hike and found several lovely "new to me" Spring wildflowers.
ReplyDeleteOh, wildflower hunting is fun! Right up there with butterfly hunting. :)
DeleteBeautiful post, as always! I think chipmunks must have decided to relocate many of my spring bulbs, especially the species tulips, as I am finding them in the oddest places. I guess Nature knows best. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen. :) Chipmunks don't cause as much damage here, although I have to use lava rocks to keep them out of my pots.
DeleteSo beautiful! I can't wait until (someday!) we are able to colonize our back woodland with woodland wildflowers - it will take some doing to remove invasives & plant up natives but it's on the "list" :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. That sounds like a fun project. You might be surprised how many native wildflowers pop up just from removing the invasives. I've been surprised with the volunteers that show up here, after years without them in those spots. The Trilliums seem to come and go, for example. There are always some, but some years they're so plentiful!
DeleteWhat wonderful woodland treasures Beth. You have such gorgeous native flowers. Heart breaking about the rabbit damage though.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the rabbits are annoying. Every year they kill the buzz on some plant or another. Oh well... the plants they don't eat continue to thrill. :)
DeleteI only have May apples - and a brand new trillium - blooming in my garden, but I do work with other volunteers in a small park in the center of town that is devoted to native plants including spring ephemerals. I have some shady spaces, and have plans to try some of these shy plants.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Pat! The only plants mentioned in this post that I planted were the Virginia Bluebells, and they seem to be rabbit food anyway. ;-)
DeleteNature has blessed you with some beautiful woodland flowers! I love the combination you showed in the first photo. I am always thrilled when native wildflowers bloom in my woodland garden.
ReplyDeleteYes, the thrill is hard to describe when wildflowers make an appearance on one's property. :) All the plants in these photos were volunteers, which makes them extra special in my mind.
DeleteA great year for Trilliums in my garden. Loveall thosespring bloomets.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Trilliums were very happy this year. It's always wonderful to see them each spring.
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