Saturday Photo: Bleeding Heart in Bloom

Most years there is an explosion of growth here the first week in May. Bleeding heart, which dies back to nothing at all in early September, grows so fast that you can almost see it. The lovely arching branches and blooms are a miracle of spring.

This year, because we had two pulses of warm weather, spring has appeared longer, with forsythia and other plants in bloom for several weeks. This means that the extravagance of bleeding heart has not been as apparent. Nevertheless it is a plant of incredible fortitude and loveliness.