“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.”—Charles Dickens
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Happy first day of astronomical spring! Snow? Check. Flurries yesterday. Tornadoes? A few down south earlier this month.
Rain? Check. Sunshine? You bet. How about a day in the 70s? Got it. A plunge into 20 degree territory? Sure.
It’s March. Anything goes. And this year, there are a few surprises. Let’s go for a hike and see what’s happening.
This weekend, Jeff and I stopped to admire the magnolias on our way to hike the prairie. Wow.
Some of them were sweetly scented. Others were just lovely to look at. It was a bittersweet enjoyment, with the looming forecast of frigid temperatures dooming them to a short display.
So we made the most of it. When magnolias bloom in Illinois, you must drop whatever you are doing and go see them. There are no guarantees that the fickle finger of fate might not zap them with cold temperatures overnight, and then? Done and gone for the season. So, we tuck their colors and fragrance into our memories until next spring rolls around.
We jump back into the car, and continue on to the prairie. But wait—pull over by that woodland trail—is that Virginia bluebells in bud? A month early? It seems that way.
I spy celandine poppy leaves, but the flowers seem further behind the bluebells. Usually, the native bluebells and native poppies bloom together in this part of the Chicago Region.
It will be interesting to see if they bloom early as well in this strange spring weather. And there—just across the road, by the Prairie Visitor Station— the non-native dead nettle is in full bloom.
Bright blue squill (Scilla siberica) and its almost-twin, glory of the snow (Chionodoxa forbesii.), carpets the woodlands and infiltrates parts of the prairie savanna. Both are cold-tolerant spring bulbs, which spread by bulb off-shoots and seeding. The squill is a concern for woodland stewards, as it may be invasive. I wonder about the glory of the snow, as well. It’s so abundant! And look at that invasive garlic mustard, coming up amid the Virginia bluebells.
I have squill in my backyard, and I’m not proud of it. Should I try to eradicate it now? Will it create trouble here in my home landscape by escaping into natural areas? Or is it relatively contained in my suburban setting? The jury is still out. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Meanwhile, the prairie wildflowers are making their move. I love wild bergamot’s magenta seedlings.
Look at those ferny leaves of Jacob’s ladder, up and reaching toward the sky!
Virginia waterleaf is already sporting its namesake leaves.
And the bloodroot is in full bloom! I love how it comes up with the leaf wrapped around the bloom stem.
On our way home, I notice that the fig buttercup (Ficaria verna)—sometimes called lesser celandine— is in full bloom on the edges of a local forest preserve that borders a nearby subdivision. This is a terribly invasive non-native plant; difficult to remove, and usually dealt with by spraying herbicide. I’ve watched it gradually take over the wet areas by the subdivision road over the past several years.
Most years, lesser celandine blooms at the same time as my native marsh marigolds. When I arrive at home, I see the first marsh marigold blooms around my little backyard pond. Soon, they’ll be a ring of gold.
The two wildflowers are often confused. But, if you flip them over, you’ll see the three or four yellow-green sepals on the back of the lesser celandine…
…while the back of the marsh marigold is just greenish yellow.
Ah, spring. There’s so much to investigate. So much to learn. So much to enjoy.
Are you ready for it? Let’s get outside.
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Charles Dickens (1812-1870), whose quote opens today’s blog post, is regarded by many as the greatest Victorian novelist. Some of his writings include A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations, and David Copperfield.
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Join Cindy for a program or class this spring:
Wednesdays, March 20, March 27, and April 3), 9-noon, —“Prairie Gardens for the Home Landscape” hosted by The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL. (In Person) (Previously sold out—but just added two additional spots—call (630) 968-0074 to register).
Friday, March 29, 10-11:30am—“Dragonflies and Damselflies: The Garden’s Frequent Fliers,” presented by Gardeners of the Shores, 64 Old Barn Rd, Barrington, IL. Free and open to the public.
Thursday, April 4, 7-8:30 p.m. —“Dragonflies and Damselflies: The Garden’s Frequent Fliers,” presented by Roselle Park Garden Club, Roselle, IL. Free and open to the public. More information here.
Tuesday, April 9, 7:30-9 p.m.—“Illinois’ Wild and Wonderful Early Bloomers,” for the Northwest Audubon Society Annual Banquet, Highland Community College, Freeport, IL. Banquet begins at 6 p.m.. For ticket and registration information, visit here.
Friday, April 19, 8-9 p.m.–“Dragonflies and Damselflies: The Garden’s Frequent Fliers,” presented by the Midwest Pond and Koi Society.” White Fence Farm, Romeoville, IL. Optional dinner before the program; program is free and open to the public, but please visit here for more information.
More programs and events at cindycrosby.com.
Tuesdays in the Tallgrass 