![]() ![]() ![]() Temporary, because it disappears completely in summer. The plant first forms a dense clump, but it gradually widens, thanks to its skinny wandering rhizomes, eventually forming vast colonies. The foliage is very attractive and persists for a while after flowering, producing a wonderful temporary ground cover. In gray weather, they bend downward and remain closed. At least, they face upward on sunny days. Each bears a single stem, three deeply cut, dark green leaves and one upright-facing flower with yellow stamens. It’s a small plant only 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) high. The wood anemone is native to central and northern Europe. I grow about 20 varieties around my place and they are just spectacular. nemorosa and A. ranunculoides, with lemon yellow flowers). ranunculoides, in buttercup yellow with single or double flowers and A. x lipsiensis, a cross between A. There are pink, violet, blue or green forms, with single, semi-double, and double flowers, plus there are close relatives with yellow flowers ( A. Anemone nemorosa ‘Robinsoniana’ More Colorsīut the wood anemone doesn’t just come in white (although good ol’ double white ‘Vestal’ is the only variety I’ve found in old gardens). I didn’t even know that the tottering neoclassic building had a name! Every move I’ve made since then, I’ve planted a few rhizomes in my new garden, leaving behind me a trail of snowy white footprints to mark my passage. After all, at the time, it had been abandoned for over 30 years, the fence had collapsed and there were no signs telling anyone to keep out. I will confess I actually stole a few rhizomes from Villa Bagatelle… and I don’t feel the slightest bit guilty. Anemone nemorosa ‘Vestal’ Rhizomatous Theft Lawrence, also has some stunning wood anemones… although they bloom about two weeks later. Still, there are a few estates that were preserved at least in part and where the “carpet of snow” effect is still very present, like Villa Bagatelle in the Quebec City suburb of Sillery (now a public garden). After a bit of searching, I found out the plant’s name: Anemone nemorosa ‘Vestal’, a double version of the wood anemone. As time went on, most of the old estates were carved up into suburban lots, the soil was carted away and the flowers were lost. When I first moved to Quebec City 40 years ago, I was astounded by the vast carpets of white flowers that appeared each spring in its older estate gardens. A carpet of Anemone nemorosa ‘Vestal’ in the Villa Bagatell gardens in Quebec City.
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