One Week Later in Spring

What a difference a week makes. I went back to Bois de Liesse (May 13) and was greeted by a carpet of trilliums. The dog toothed violets have mainly vanished. The red trilliums looked tired. But it was glorious in the woods with white trilliums popping up everywhere.



They, too, will not last long as the leafy canopy spreads and will soon cast shadows on the forest floor. For now all is the bright green of spring.



The ferns, which last week were slowly uncurling, are now upright and plentiful.

Some poke their fronds above the riot of trilliums.



Each year I feel I need to go on this pilgrimage to pay hommage to these flowers. Their time here is short yet their presence seems to announce spring for me. Each year I aim my lens looking for the perfect shot.



of the perfect trillium.



This park is home to wildlife from birds to squirrels and this raccoon who eyed me warily as I stopped to admire him. There are signs, too, warning of coyotes in the area. They are a fairly recent addition to our urban landscape.



He stopped for a drink after checking us out and then warily moved on. We continued our walk refreshed by just being in the forest.

Spring Comes to Gardens

The air says spring. The gardens say spring. Each day Mother Nature adds dabs of paint to her canvas, filling out the spaces. Blossoms appear where days before there were just bare branches.



Gardens become lush with flowers. It is all so transient as spring flowers make their short appearances.



Each year the magnolias take my breath away. Stop and admire. They too, display their splendour for just a short time before the leaves take over.  Everything in its own time...

Spring Takes Hold

Spring is a parade of delights as each day brings new changes. Each flower takes its turn, some lasting only days while others linger. I walked up in Summit Woods on May 5. The woods were full of dog-toothed violets (aka trout lily or erythronium americanum). Their splotchy leaves and bright yellow flowers were easy to spot.



We also spotted some sanguinaria canadensis. The trilliums were still reluctant - some leaves but no sign of flowers.



On May 6 a friend and I went to Bois-de-Liesse where the trilliums were starting to open. In most spots, it was still only and occasional flower that revealed itself.



Ferns were starting to unfurl.



And Sanguinaria reached for the sunlight.



Some interesting fungus was growing near a dead log. Anyone know what it is?



A cluster of dogtoothed violets grew near a tree trunk.



I always search out the red trilliums which open before the white ones. They are far less plentiful than their white cousins and so each one seems precious. Did you know that trilliums take 7 - 10 years to go from seed to flower?



Here is a variety of flowers together. Enjoy as they won't last long.