Hyacinthoides non-scripta

(image: Peter Gasson)

From Kew Royal Botanic Gardens:

At the beginning of the 29th century special "Bluebell Trains" took tourists on excursions to see the spectacular bluebell displays in the deciduous woodlands of the Chiltern Hills in southeast England. Although the special train services no longer run, the bluebells can still be seen in what has since been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

 Some other AONBs (that don't necessarily boast an abundance of bluebells like Chiltern Hills) include Blackdown Hills, North Devon Coast, and North Pennines (England); Clwydian Range and Wye Valley (Wales); and the Mourne Mountains and Ring of Gullion (Northern Ireland).

Taraxacum Officinale

This post comes after yesterday's Springtime weather - and after my having seen a solitary dandelion growing up and out of the small space between the sidewalk and a building.

Another of the under-appreciated and misunderstood "weeds," the common dandelion persists as a highly adaptable and hardy plant. It is actually classified as a "beneficial weed" due to its wide range of use, including but not limited to the following: 1) its introduction of key/essential nutrients to the soil, 2)  its use in a wide variety of cuisines and food dishes, 3) its utility in folk and modern-day medicinal practices, and, most beautifully, 4) its implementation in the art of adornment, bodily or otherwise. One can't help but to think of small children with flecks of yellow in their hair or faint golden streaks on their faces and hands.

Just Because

Color of the moment: (various shades of) green.

arisaema triphyllum ("jack in the pulpit")

hellebores niger

bearded iris