BY DAVID P. DAVIS
The cooler temperatures of the past few weeks have slowed down flowering at the West Virginia Botanic Garden, but warmer April temperatures promise to turn things around. Currently, we have hellebores and daffodils in full bloom and some new early spring entries.
Pulmonaria (lungwort) is coming into bloom at the WVBG with its diminutive display of pink and blue flowers. Lungwort is in the borage (forget-me-not) family and is native to Eurasia. Lungwort is a small evergreen perennial that forms clumps or rosettes. Their leaves are pubescent and often mottled with white spotting. This spotting was thought to symbolize ulcerated lungs and lungwort was used as a folk medicine used to treat pulmonary disease.
Lungwort does well in part to full shade and makes a great complement to other perennials. They are deer and rabbit tolerant. We have recently added new specimens near our new pergola off the event lawn and in the Secret Garden.
In the Yagle Garden, several small, early spring perennial bulbs are just getting started. One of them, Chionodoxa forbesii (glory-in-snow), is a delicate powder blue flower that is named for its tendency to bloom while snow showers persist.
Also in bloom at the WVBG are some native wildflowers. And, while most blossoms at the WVBG are planted and curated by our staff, we have over 80 acres to explore and there is always something interesting to see along our trails and in the Tibbs Run Preserve.
Now blooming on the edges and along the trails in the George W. Longenecker Shade Garden are Pachysandra procumbens (Alleghany pachysandra). This woodland perennial wildflower has mottled green leaves and a flowering stalk that is flesh-colored with white spikes. This makes for a most unusual appearance as they poke up through leaves along the edge of the garden.
Don’t miss our spring show of blooms and enjoy a day at the WVBG.
FOR INFORMATION, MAPS, AND MORE, go to WVBG.org or visit at 1061 Tyrone Road in Morgantown.
