Carol's Garden

These bluebells are also direct descendents of plants my father planted years ago.

According to Wikipedia, "Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebell, Virginia cowslip, lungwort oysterleaf, Roanoke bells) is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae," 

Virginia bluebells bloom in April and last a very short two to three weeks before their foliage turns yellow and die back.  They remain dormant throughout the rest of the spring, summer, fall and winter until they rise again.

The Virginia bluebell, a hardy perennial native to eastern North America,  thrives in acidic, moist, woodlands and love shade.  They grow wild at Three Creeks Metro Park and although I wish I could transplant them I keep my hands to myself when hiking there.

Bluebells are hardy and are seldom bothered by disease or pests but do not tolerate hot sun or alkaline, hardpan, sandy or dry soil.  They do not like to be disturbed so do not mow the foliage, cut the flowers or walk on them.   I confess I cut a few each spring and keep them in a small vase by my bed.

An easy way to propagate them is to divide them after they bloom but before they go dormant.  You can also take root cuttings which I have not had time to do.  Even easier, bluebells self-sow.

I love bluebells because they remind me of a simpler time.  I imagine my grandmother that I do not remember  as well as my aunts enjoying their gentle beauty.