I usually consider our peak bloom time to be between mid-May and mid-June, but the truth is the flowering doesn’t really stop. Our gardens are filled with plants that bloom from early April (or late March) right through until November. Spring is always a beautiful time. The early wildflowers fill garden spaces that are left in deep shade by June. Their colors are bright and their scent is intoxicating and my favorite wildflower is always the one that has just come in to bloom. Each week something new emerges to take the place of flowers that are going by. Depending on the weather individual species usually bloom for about a month. The anemone meadow rue and the wild bleeding heart break the rule – usually blooming for about eight weeks once they start. The variety of plants is amazing and the Sanctuary is certainly worth a visit at this time.
The best part is that the flowering doesn’t end in mid-June. Once the spring wildflowers have gone by some of the meadow plants begin to bloom. Coneflower and bee balm take the place of phlox and lady’s slipper. The butterflies become more numerous and more diverse. The dragonflies appear and the birds are everywhere. Summer flowers tend to be on bigger plants, but I still look for the little things tucked in among the grasses or along the roadsides. Not all summer plants are in the sunny spots plants like goats beard and tall meadow rue come along in the shaded gardens.
Although we get the most visitors in spring, don’t think that if you missed that time at the Sanctuary that there is nothing to see. Visiting Norcross every couple of weeks will give you a new palette of wildflowers in our gardens and along our trail. You can check our bloom list for your favorite plants and visit throughout the year. Summer is a nice time for lunch at our picnic tables and a nice walk with the family. Norcross is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 4pm. Check our facebook page in case of holiday weekend closings. See you on the trails![lightbox link=”http://norcrosswildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/aquilegia_canadensis.wild_columbine-e1465059953871.jpg” thumb=”http://norcrosswildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/aquilegia_canadensis.wild_columbine-300×200.jpg” width=”300″ align=”left” title=”aquilegia_canadensis.wild_columbine” frame=”true” icon=”image” caption=””]
