Spring’s Palette of Purples

By: Cathy Salter

The first purple on spring’s palette always comes from the most delicate of flowers. Weeks before the official arrival of spring, crocuses push their way up through the hard winter ground. Cheered on by a few days of false spring temperatures, tiny purple crocuses emerge with variegated arms outstretched and saffron tongues singing spring’s praises. They are a joyous chorus of purple throughout the early weeks of March. Next in the progression are the wild violets that make their winter bed amongst the sleeping hostas and yard at Boomerang Creek. Purplish raspberry canes define the edge between meadow and woods–their color a promise of the sweet purple fruit that will follow in the early months of summer. Purple hyacinths have begun to thrust up their heavily scented heads and mock the more cautious lilacs that hold back their show of purple perfume until spring has fully arrived. Finally, in the last week of March, wild plums begin blooming along woods and fencerows in and around Boone County.

See more in this weeks Boone County Journal