My Wild Flower Garden

There has been some discussion of turning the corner flower garden into a patio. If we actually entertained company on a regular basis, it would be a fine idea. I envision patio stones on the ground and one of those fancy outdoor fireplaces to gather around on summer and early autumn evenings... However, there are a few plants out there that I couldn't bear to part with completely. One is my very lovely Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

Last year this magnificent monster produced some very exotic looking fruits. The "berries" which start out green and looking very much like a miniature ear of corn, will turn bright red by the end of summer. I'd seen plenty of Jack-in-the-Pulpit plants in the woods when I was a little girl, but I'd never seen the berries until last year. Since Jack stands in the "pulpit" I like to think of this as his "pulpit committee".

The leaves (no, that's not poison ivy) look so green and lush right now. They remind of long ago days when I would come home from school and head off to the little strip of woods that ran along the edge of the old playground. It was full of wonderful treasures in the spring; Jack-in-the-Pulpits , trillium, and May-apples. Kind of makes me think it's time to go for a walk.