Spring's Stinky Plant

One of the first springtime plants to begin growing in the swampy area behind our home is the skunk cabbage. This plant gets its name from the foul odor it gives off when it is damaged. The flower or spadix as it is called, also gives off an odor to attract flies to serve as pollinators. The spadix is protected by the maroon colored modified leaf called the spathe which appears early on in the plant's life cycle. The spadix gives off heat during a two week period of development, often melting the snow that may surround it as it emerges from the ground. The leaves first emerge with a scroll like appearance, and begin to unfurl. The leaves can grow to three feet in length. Visit http://natureinstitute.org/pub/ic/ic4/skunkcabbage.htm for a great essay about this plant.

Just Look at that Face!

Johnny Jump - Ups like this one are gracing my yard. These flowers and their cousins the pansies always make me think of little faces in the garden. I purchased these, along with another variety of viola, years ago and they have seeded themselves all over the garden. Now they have jumped the boarder into the lawn.

I'm so glad that spring weather has returned, and with it the gardening chores. I enjoyed spending part of my Mother's Day communing with Mother Nature.