American Beauty VI

The Bloodroot is a beautiful American wildflower for every garden with wood-like conditions. It features all advantages that a lovely perennial should have ... hm, except for one: the flowers are rather short-lived.

To give you an impression how long these flowers last, I tell you a (true?) story I once heard. It was a story about an English lady who owned one of those marvelous gardens English ladies used to own. In this garden, she grew a couple of bloodroot plants. She liked them very much, and every day, she visited them for several times, for just one reason: she didn't want to miss the moment when the bloodroot buds were going to open. Then, on a wonderful spring morning, after weeks of waiting, the great event finally took place! As soon as the English lady realized the white flowers she happily returned back to the house, in order to get her camera. That beautiful view had to be captured!

Exactly at the time when she was in her room preparing her camera for the great shot, her friend phoned her up, and ... well yes - it took a few moments until those two women finished their talk. Our lady hurried back to her flowers, but oh ... unfortunately, all the petals were gone, and nothing else remained than a few fading flowers.

So if you want to enjoy your bloodroot flowers take care that you'll be there at the right hour. Or grow the double variety - its flowers last considerably longer - for several days, at least.