The Precious Beauty of Springtime

Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love.
Sitting Bull

The photo above, used with permission, is gloriously filled with Virginia bluebells. These beauties are “are native to cool, shady woodlands and floodplains throughout most of eastern North America (from Minnesota/Arkansas east) …” However, the website https://rivercitygrandrapids.wildones.org/ says, they are “sparse in much of its range due to habitat loss. Listed as threatened in Michigan, Virginia bluebells have been found within the Grand, Raisin, and St. Joseph River systems.” 

Let this image tug at our hearts, minds and spirits even more as we realize that they are not only edible but delicious. Virginia bluebells can be propagated by seed or rhizome, and are easy to care for once established in a shady area. Because they bloom in early spring and last for about three weeks, they are among the first flowers to bring the joy of beauty to all who see them. 

“If gazing at the beauty of the flowers we grow is a joy, inhaling their fragrance borders on the divine. There is nothing like stepping out your door and being enveloped in scent….”
Therese Ciesinski, GardenSMART

Let spring, its incredible beauty, and the sorrows that come to us as we ponder disappearance motivate each of us to act in some way to preserve Spring’s gifts to Planet Earth in whatever way we can. It may be by acting to preserve the ongoing presence of even one flower special to us, by purchasing native grown flowers and food or by raising consciousness about endangered species.