virginia bluebells

I think Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginicia) are my favorite of the shade/wild flowers.

One of America’s native plants, Virginia Bluebells are part of the Borage family.  They have nodding clusters of pink buds that open into a lovely blue trumpet-shaped flower.

I’ve had a few plants for years, but they have never done well, and often seemed to struggle just to survive.  But, for some reason, this year, they are prettier than ever, normal size, and full of blooms.

I dug these plants from my sister’s woods where they were growing wild.  It was most difficult to get much soil and roots when they were dug, as her woods is near a river and is situated primarily on rock.  I no sooner planted them and surrounded them with a wire cage, when as I turned my back, my chickens pecked them to the ground.  So, they did not have an easy start, and that was when the chickens went to live on a farm in the country.

By summertime, the plant totally disappears underground, to return the following spring in April.

Before I had Virginia Bluebells in my garden, I used to content myself with my Comfrey plants, which are easy to grow, and have such very similar flowers.  And no wonder, little did I know that Comfrey is in the Borage family also.