Spring Woodland Wildflowers
Beauty in the Woods in New England
You will find many beautiful surprises in the wooded areas of New England in the Spring. Keep your eyes on the ground and watch for the delicate flowers that pop up from the forest floor. Their time is fleeting, so once Spring has come, don't hesitate to explore.
Here are some lovely White Triliums. I grew up in Michigan and in the Spring, when you find the right spot, vast communities of these White Triliums will carpet the ground under the trees. Love them! Don't pick them, however, as the whole plant will then die. Enjoy them as they grow in their natural habitat.
On this page, I have captured some of the Spring wildflowers of New England for you. Enjoy!
Purple Trillium
Here is a Purple Trillium. Most of the Trilium you will see in New England are this color or a variation of it. These grow in the woods behind my house. I am so lucky to be able to watch them each day as they push their buds up through the blanket of leaves and unfurl their three lovely petals and three perfectly shaped leaves.
A Group of Trillium Just About to Bloom
Bi-color Violets
We live in an old farmhouse in New Hampshire. I don't know if these were originally native to the area, but they certainly pop up everywhere in the Spring. It's such a welcome sight and they spread so easily, coming up in the woods and spreading out into the lawn. They look so happy.
Purple Violets
And, they come in many colors.
White Violet
The white ones seem to be the most sensitive. They don't spread around as much as the other colors, so I treasure them a bit more. Aren't they sweet?
The Scent of Violets
One of my very best friends loved the scent of violets and wore it every day--just the pure essence of violet. She died a few years ago and it was a major loss and turning point for me, but every time I smell violet, I am right back in her house and gardens visiting in my mind. I don't know which brand she used or which is the best, but here are a few selections in a wide range of prices. It's a lovely scent, but, according to my friend, a good, pure violet scent is hard to find.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
These are one of my favorite. Our woods is full of Jack-in-the-Pulpit and they do seem to spread themselves about. Don't they look like something quite exotic?
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Now, can you tell how they got their name?
A Group of Jack-in-the-Pulpit
I thought you might enjoy seeing a family of Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Look at their lovely stripped hoods.
Just How Well Do Jack-in-the-Pulpit Spread?
Well, they are quite hardy and spread easily, at least at our house. Here is one from the woods that made it up to the foundation of the house and came up through the gravel path. Good thing I like them.
Fern Shoot - April 31, 2012
Mayapple
I used to play with these when I was little, pretending they were umbrellas. A bud forms just under the umbrella-like leaves and blossoms into a hidden yellow or white flower.
Wild Strawberries
The resulting berries are so small and the chipmunks snatch them up before I can get to them, but the flowers put on a nice show of their own.
Wild Ginger
I acquired this Wild Ginger plant from our local Herb Society in Chester, New Hampshire. Every year they have a sale where members separate plants they have growing in their gardens and offer them to others. I have found some unusual things through them.
Wild Ginger Flower - April 31, 2012
Sweet Woodruff
Another great acquisition from the Chester Herb Society.
Mystery Flowers
These purple spiked flowers come up every Spring all over my lawn, along with another tiny white flower which I am also posting. Do you know what they are? It is not lavender.
The Other Mystery Flowers
Here are the other tiny flowers which bloom in my lawn every year. Can anyone identify them? Aren't they pretty?
Preserving Native Plants - A Great New England Asset: New England Wildflower Society
One of the first things I discovered upon moving to New Hampshire was The Garden in the Woods in Framingham, Massachusetts. A part of the New England Wildflower Society, Garden in the Woods is not only a beautiful collection of natural woodland, wetland and field gardens, but, also offers native plants for sale, books and workshops. It is a perfect place to visit if you are interested in native flowers and plantings. It is a non-profit, membership based organization.
- New England Wildflower Society
"The mission of New England Wild Flower Society is to conserve and promote the region's native plants to ensure healthy, biologically diverse landscapes. ... Today the Society is recognized as one of the nation's leading plant conservation organizati - Garden in the Woods
Here is a direct link to information on the gardens of the New England Wildflower Society.
A New England Wildflower Society Book Offering - Great Price!
Grow Your Own - Toss Some Wildflower Seed Around
What Else Comes Up From the Ground in the Spring in New England? - Antique Bottles From Old Dumping Spots
100 years ago there were no town dumps and households would toss away their used bottles and other paraphernalia out in the woods in a designated spot. They planted something to hide the dump, piled it with rocks or just left it as it was. Now, after winter has passed and the ground warms up, old bottles and a few other items will have pushed their way toward the top. You can actually go hunting for treasures in these dumps. We have a spot in the woods behind our house where those who lived here and farmed the property years ago have left behind remnants of their lives. Every year I go out and poke around. Here are some photos for you.
Many are broken, but I have found some very interesting ones intact. These dumps are so deep that they are very difficult to clean up, so we gave up and just are careful to not let any dogs wander into that area.