Hearts of Spring

Hearts of Spring © 2010 Bo Mackison

Hearts of Spring © 2010 Bo Mackison

My grandmother’s garden had a bleeding hearts plant. I was fond of the tiny pink hearts that would bloom in April and May, all bunched together on branches. I always wanted to pick the branches of bleeding hearts to put in a jar in the house, but that wasn’t allowed. I can see why now. There is something quite magnificent about a little bush covered with rows upon rows of tiny fragile heart flowers.

These bleeding hearts are not from my grandmother’s garden. They were photographed at the Allen Centennial Gardens in the heart of the University of Wisconsin’s urban campus. This 2.5 acre garden serves the University’s horticultural program and students, although the university and Madison communities also benefit from this garden filled with botanical wonders and lovely sitting spaces.

Together -Tulips in Embrace

Together © 2010 Bo Mackison

Together © 2010 Bo Mackison

Detail shot of two yellow tulips, drooping towards the earth.

Trout Lily

Trout Lily © 2010 Bo Mackison

Trout Lily © 2010 Bo Mackison

One of the earliest ephemeral spring flowers in Wisconsin is the trout lily. Large colonies of this flower appear in woodlands, as hundreds, even thousands of the lilies pop up from the forest floor in late April. The flower probably gets its name from the unusual brown mottled markings on its large leaves which resemble the brook trout. It also has several other common names, including Fawn Lily, Adder’s Tongue, and Dogtooth Violet, although the flower is a member of the lily family, not the violet family.

It blooms early in the season before the trees have leafed out and while the sunlight still reaches the floor of the forest. I saw large stands of it on Sunday while hiking the Woodland Trail in Governor Nelson State Park. This state park is an urban park located on the shores of Lake Mendota; downtown Madison and the Capitol building can be seen looking across the lake from the park’s shores and bluffs.

Jack’s Back

Jack in the Pulpit © 2010 Bo Mackison

Jack in the Pulpit © 2010 Bo Mackison

Spring is for real when I can walk in the woodlands and see the first wildflowers in abundance. Today on my Sunday hike I counted thousands of trout lilies, a few buttercups, and hundreds of patches of sweet violets, Confederate violets and white violets. I only saw one Jack in the Pulpit. It’s a bit early for the Jacks, but they’ll be covering the woodland floor in another week.

I love these early spring wildflowers.

I Love Garden Centers!

I Love Garden Centers! © 2010 Bo Mackison

I Love Garden Centers! © 2010 Bo Mackison

There are so many bright, colorful things to photograph in garden centers in spring in Wisconsin. Not only the flowers, but the containers. These pink beauties are called Common Thrift. Not the prettiest of names, but they sure add a bright spot of color.