Sweet columbine, friend of mine

From March through May, I enjoy seeing columbines pop up throughout my garden. I planted quite a few of them, but many are volunteers of the hybrid sort. One of the fascinating things about this enchanting wildflower is its propensity to cross-pollinate and produce surprising new variants. Native reds, if cross-pollinated with another color, may produce young with peach or pink or rose blooms, for instance. This week I happened upon a brand new dark red (photo below) in my front garden, this year's surprise columbine.

No matter what the color or shape of its bloom, though, I am an admirer of most any of the lovely columbines that dance on spring breezes. Surely this magical wildflower summons any fairy spirits who may roam nearby, as well as the spirit of faerie that dwells within each of us.

Above, a surprising new red hybrid of unknown parentage

The garden in April

Planted by wind and rain many years ago,
three tall tulip poplars, in bright spring green,
anchor the garden.

After ten years of planting a trillium here, a columbine there, a hosta here and there, a trout lily out front, a pawpaw in back, and so on and so on, my garden has become a place of wonderful surprises starting in late January and continuing through May and June. I am surprised because I don't keep a blueprint of what goes where, and, well, I just don't remember where I put everything! Sometimes I think I should put it all down on paper so I'll remember and won't plant, for instance, the new purple sage too near that Joe-pye Weed (it's not too late; I'll simply move the sage). Maybe I will get organized and chart it all sometime, but I have to admit, the surprises bring me so much joy that I am loath to plot things out. Here are some of my lovely April surprises this year.

Japanese kerria and creeping ajuga with new-leaved oakleaf hydrangea in between

Yellow kerria, blue phlox and lots of green, a happy combination

Variegated Japanese kerria, reaching toward the birdbath

A bright yellow hosta with a lacy bleeding heart leaf floating above


Foamflower and another blue phlox


One of a developing colony of mayapples


Elegant variegated Solomon's seal, brightened by morning sun


Trillium, flanked by blue phlox and a wandering kerria rose


A pawpaw bloom, hopefully fertile


Witch alder, so wonderfully fragrant


White bleeding heart, Dicentra spectabilis 'alba'


Pink bleeding heart with golden leaves, Dicentra spectabilis 'goldheart'


Mazus, creeping between the back patio's flagstones


Jack-in-the-pulpit, a plant for the child-at-heart


Japanese maple 'bloodgood', reflecting a ruby heart

Spring beauties along the Haw

Carol, Dede, Sarbaga, Cynthia and Laurie

Cynthia, Sandra and Laurie

Beauty above ...

Pine pollen "corncobs"

Redbud in bloom, bare and leaved branches, blue sky

Yellow swallowtail butterfly,
visiting what may be a serviceberry

Beauty below ...

Spring beauty

Golden Alexanders

Mayapple

Mayapple colony

Beauty, beauty, wherever we go ...

Ephemeral wildflowers, a rushing river, bright sunshine, and dear friends ... each element of a recent Saturday morning walk still sparkles in my mind. We make entrance to the Haw River in Bynum. The love of nature in each one of us amplifies and amplifies as we see beauty in every direction.

The Haw, moving fast in her shallower depths ...

... and at a more placid pace in deeper spots.


For closer viewing, Cynthia brings a magnifying jeweler's loupe. Our jewels are flowers, and how even more magnificent they look up-close, all pink, purple and white iridescence, so lush with fertile potential.


We look ...


and look,


and keep on looking.


We laugh,


... and touch,


... and Sarbaga finds her "mark," a wonderful surprise!