Spring Wildflowers

Note - not a picture from MY garden... but Wild Ginger, nonetheless

I am really beginning to embrace the beauty of my shade garden.  I used to lament the lack of full sun in our yard, but shade plants can be just as interesting, especially when it comes to spring ephemerals.

 e·phem·er·al ( -f m r- l). adj. 1. Lasting for a markedly brief time

A spring ephemeral is just that - one of the delightful first flowers of the season that are short lived in the garden.  In the shade garden, these plants bloom early, generally before the tree canopy above leafs out.   Spring ephemerals in my garden include many wildflowers such as the wild ginger pictured above, Virginia Bluebells, Bishops Cap, Lenten Rose, Trout Lily, Rue Anemone, and Foamflower (though the particular variety I have blooms twice).  These beauties are just starting to bloom, but here are some pictures from prior years.

Tiarella - Foam FLower

False Rue Anemone

Another wild Anemone

Twinleaf or Bishop's Cap