Lenten Roses - a Rose which is Not a Rose

I live in Michigan where winters tend to be cold and snowy, so when flowers start to bloom in the Spring, it makes my heart SO happy! I thought it would be fun to write about some flowers and share interesting fun facts about them which you could share with the children you love. I do have to say, I have the, "black thumbs of death". I do not have "green thumbs". Plants I try to grow always die - even cacti. When my kids were teens they grounded me from ever having live plants again - they said I was, "cruel and unusual punishment - for the plants." My grands agree - I have been generationally grounded from plants.

But, I still do love flowers and happily my husband is able to get them to grow! Plus we have a membership at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, so I am able to enjoy being around flowers all year long!

I thought it would be interesting to write about Lenten Roses for my first flower because they are one of the first to bloom at Frederik Meijer Gardens - especially in their Shade Garden - and they make my heart SO happy to see their lovely blooms after a cold, snowy winter!

Lenten Roses . . .

• Are not true roses, but tough, deer-resistant perennials which bloom in beautiful shades of pink, white, and near-black during early spring Lent. 
• This shade-loving plant can live for twenty or more years and produce long-lasting blooms for months! 
• Lenten Roses are poisonous - this does keep deer and pests from eating them.
• Fun fact - Lenten Roses are not a True Rose - they are actually part of the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family.
• The colorful parts of the flower are not petals, but sepals. These last for up to three months because they don't fall off readily like petals.
• Lenten Roses are among the earliest flowers to appear, often blooming through snow from February to April, even when other plants are dormant.
• They thrive in shade to partial shade, making them ideal for planting under trees.

You will find out more information about Lenten Roses at this link.

I think we will plant some by our front door - a very shady area of our yard - or more accurately, my husband will plant them since I am "grounded" and have the "black thumbs of death."