The weather was beautiful on Wednesday when my friends and I found hopeful signs of spring at Cedar Creek Park in Westmoreland County.  There were two Best Birds (yellow-throated warbler, Louisiana waterthrush) and many April flowers including hepatica, Virginia bluebells, twinleaf, bloodroot, harbinger of spring, and …

Yellow corydalis (Corydalis flavula) is a native annual in the Poppy family. Its small flower, 1/4″ long, has an unusual puckered shape.

The most common spring beauty in our area, Claytonia virginica, has thin grass-like leaves.  Carolina spring beauty (Claytonia caroliniana) has oval leaves and deeper pink flowers.

Wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) was on the verge of blooming last Wednesday.  Here’s one stunning flower.

But this morning all is changed.  It rained all day yesterday and now we have gusty winds and snow flurries.  🙁

Thursday’s April showers closed the flowers.

(photos by Kate St. John)