Look What's Blooming!

My red tulips bloom first and are on the wane. ~

I'm anxiously waiting for the white tulips I planted last fall to open and fretting over whether they are in a sunny enough spot.

The new kind of Forget Me Nots, that I put in last year are starting to bloom ~

The first two bunches have opened and the leaves have dark green veins on a dusty white background.

But, the show stopper this week is this! ~

Trillium grandiflorem (White Trillium)

I live in Ontario and the Trillium is our emblem and official flower.  It's a small, woodland plant from the lily family.  The flower is made of three leaf like bracts, for the petals, that are pure white.  As the blooms age they turn to pink.

The seeds are spread by ants who swallow them and ummmm redeposit them elsewhere. They are very delicate and difficult to transplant.  I was lucky to have two of them take in my front yard.

It is common belief that it is illegal to pick Trilliums in Ontario, but that is only true in conservation areas and provincial parks.  Still, you don't ever want to pick them as it seriously injures the plant.  Without the bracts, the plant can't produce food for next year and may take many years to recover.

Only fairies should pluck the blooms and only when they are in dire need of new haberdashery! ~ 

Aren't these the dearest little flowers?  I'm sure the first ones were planted by dryads!