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 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.

The Forest Floor Wakes Up

New growth pokes through the layer of dead leaves. Out of last year's debris, regeneration begins. The red trilliums seem to open before their more proliferous white cousins.

Sometimes solitary, sometimes in small clumps their deep red is a sharp contrast to the sepia around them.



Slowly the ferns are unfurling. They looked like they were huddling together. Warmth in numbers. The temperature was a hovering around 5°C (about 41°F), definitely chilly for the end of April.



We did find a few open, white trilliums, but mostly they were just starting to bud.



Like the trout lilies (erythronium), they seem to be waiting for warmer temperatures.



Small patches of hepatica have sent up their first tentative blooms.




Sanguinaria could be spotted here and there.



The forest floor is covered with dry, decaying leaves. Some looked almost ghost-like. Slowly they will return to the soil and soon the forest floor will be covered with the green of new growth.

Up on Summit Park

I made a little detour on my way home to check on the trillium situation up at Summit Park. They are blanketing the forest floor, in a hurry to catch the light before the leaves on the trees fill in.



I'm always amazed by their numbers and their very short season. I guess it makes them more precious.



I'm always in search of the perfect picture - but each flower has its charms.



The trout lilies (aka Erythronium Americanum) are also flowering, sharing space and the same short time with the trilliums. They seem like shy flowers, usually bending their heads down.



I wonder what they are trying to attract on the forest floor.



I have to celebrate these short visits. It marks the true arrival of spring - the season that seems to be in a rush.

Flora and Fauna in May

Walking in Parc-nature du Bois-de-Liesse

I have rarely seen a pileated woodpecker this close (last time was from a window). It was happily pecking at some rotten wood on the forest floor, unperturbed by our presence.



They are really majestic creatures - large birds compared to their woodpecker cousins.  The forest is just waking up. Green is slowly replacing the sepia dried leaves.



This time of year I am on the lookout for trilliums. They grow quickly and last but a short time. The red ones were visible - the white ones merely buds. Only a few days more and the forest floor will be covered with their white, perky blooms.



The red flowers are hard to spot once the white ones open. There are many fewer red trilliums around. Apparently new trillium plants take up to 7 years before they start to produce flowers.



I'm not sure what this flower is.  I am just amazed at how things grow - pushing through the dried leaves of fall and finding light. Their season is short as they only last until the tree canopy fills in and covers the light.

Addendum: I'm told this white flower is Sanguinaria Canadensis or Bloodroot.

Trillium Hunt

Every year I go hunting for trilliums. Perhaps hunting is the wrong word; I know where to find them. It is just that the season is so short, I never know if I might be too early or too late. Our spring this year has been unusual with a long cold spell followed by sudden heat. I almost missed the trilliums - a number of them were turning pink and starting to wither. The tree coverage has happened rapidly and soon they will all be shaded.



It is odd to think that this beautiful blossom is turning pink because it is fading. While it still looks healthy, this is a sign of it being past its prime in the last stages before it will wither and drop off.



Healthy and white this trillium still has a few days of blooming ahead.




Each year I marvel at the trillium carpet on the forest floor. They are here for such a short time; I make my annual visit to celebrate them.

Trillium Time

Trillium time - the bright white flowers blanket the slopes in Summit Park. A profusion of blooms, a flurry of flowers.




Catch them while they are here. They don't last long!

Trillium Time

Trillium, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

There is something special about walking in the woods at trillium time. The forest floor is blanketed with these perky flowers.



It is another of spring's ephemeral offerings. Soon the flowers will disappear for another year.



For years I was oblivious to these magic moments, but once I fell under their annual spell, I have made a point to go walking in the woods to catch their brief appearance.



Sadly some trilliums did not grow this year. About a week ago there was a fire on Summit Park. The underbrush was very dry and a fire started (a carelessly thrown cigarette? ) which scorched the ground and damaged some trees. It could have been much worse, but the firefighters were able to stop it fairly quickly. This is breeding time for many birds. I hope they were not too disturbed by this event. These urban oases are such important places.

Dog Tooth Violet or Trout Lily

Dog Tooth Violet or Trout Lily, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Summit Park is a blanket of flowers. The forest floor is dotted with white trilliums with accents of these yellow flowers*. They shyly turn their faces down to the ground while all around them the trilliums stare boldly up.

Each year I love to walk through this urban forest, delighting in the short show. In spring each flower has its time. Changes are a constant of this wild season.

Red Trillium

Red Trillium, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Another walk in the woods - this time at Bois de Liesse. There are places where the forest floor is carpeted with trilliums. There are even a few red trilliums.



It is a treat to walk among all these flowers. Growth is happening quickly now. The leaves have started to spread. Soon the canopy will spread over the forest.