May is one of the best times to see plants in bloom along the Salt Marsh Trail. The experience is not one to miss. Barely visible from the trail, bog rhododendrons, shown above, look rather exotic for these woods.
Simpler wild strawberries are in bloom on the ground. They seem especially numerous this year.
The soft pink of the flowering apple trees is a special treat for the eyes against the dark green of the woods and a bright blue sky.
Pin cherry trees are barely noticeable at other times of the year but right now their blooms allow them to stand out from surrounding greenery.
Up close, an elderberry bloom looks like an ornate chandelier.
Most ubiquitous of all are the delicate service berry blooms. Unfortunately, they’re the most susceptible to being blown off their branches by strong winds.
Perhaps it’s this quality about them that makes them seem so fragile and ephemeral. Like springtime itself, they never seem to be around long enough.
O the scents of heaven!
47whitebuffalo, I didn’t even think of smelling them. A missed opportunity for sure!
Lovely. Our trees are all bloomed out here. I took some pictures then but never posted them. Missed opportunities….
Yousei, it seems there are more missed opportunities at this time of year than at others. Spring is so fleeting that just by noticing and letting yourself enjoy one aspect of it, you can’t help but miss another.
Rhododendrons would be exotic treats to spot around here, as well. Your wild strawberry photo is enchanting! I have been truly loving this blooming time of year, although the camera usually remains tucked up at home these days. Your blog is such a gift to the earth, Amy-Lynn. (It delights when it sees you pausing to herald it through winter, spring, summer, fall. It told me so.)
Kathy, I think it’s the number of those strawberry blooms that make them worth a second look. I’ve never seen so many wild ones together like that. I love this time of the year too. It passes too quickly.
The blog enjoys your little chats
Oh good! I love little chats.
Lovely, lovely flowers and photos Amy-Lynn! There are wild rhodos growing on the west coast of Vancouver Island but they look a little different than your bog beauties. Always a sure sign of spring.
Thanks Colleen. I’ll have to check out what the west coast rhodos are like. It’s such a treat to see them in the wild.
Colleen, I found some images of the wild west coast rhododendrons. They’re huge compared to ours!
What a lovely Maytime! I hope all those wild strawberry blossoms turn into the sweetest, reddest little berries a grandchild ever tasted.
Gerry, I wouldn’t eat any of the strawberries along the Salt Marsh Trail. There are too many dogs walked along there. There are a great many wild strawberries growing in our yard but wildlife always seems to gobble them up before we get a chance to pick them. Maybe this year, with so many in bloom, they’ll leave some for us.
I had not considered the dreadful possibilities. Gack.
“Pin” cherries … I’d wondered what those were. Lovely shots my friend.
Sybil, they are very small cherries – a good eat for birds but too small with too large a pit for humans to bother picking.
Gorgeous photos! Wish I could find patches of wild strawberries that large! I only run into one or two plants at a time on my wanders. Thank you for sharing!
Spotted Face, the numerous blooms would indicate a bumper crop year for wild strawberries. There usually aren’t that many along the trail or in my yard. Glad you enjoyed the photos
Your flower pictures are so pretty!
Thanks Patti, I had some pretty subjects
Oh my goodness, so many different flowers! I particularly like the delicate apple blossoms (are you looking forward to harvesting some apples later?) and the wild strawberry blossoms (do they turn into real strawberries that you can eat?).
Hi Reggie! The porcupines will probably eat the apples. These are located in a public park. I don’t know if other walkers pick them. I never have. I will pick fruit from the crabapple tree in my yard though to make jelly with my grandson. Its blossoms haven’t opened yet.
The wild strawberry blossoms do eventually turn into small red strawberries. They are tastier than the large commercially grown ones. Picking such small berries was a summer pastime for me and my siblings when we were young. Unfortunately, their ripening coincides with mosquito season. I can’t think of those small strawberries without thinking of mosquitoes whizzing around my head and causing numerous bites that would then become so itchy I’d have difficulty getting to sleep at night.
That is so interesting – perhaps you and your grandson will go strawberry picking when they are ripe, though it’s a pity about the mosquitoes!
I love your site. The paintings. The poetry. I will definitely take in Cow Bay. Afua C
Thank you Afua