Can anyone identify a small white wildflower, 1 or 1.5 cm diameter, slightly hanging bell-like before fully open, with about 7 petals, a cluster of white frilly stuff in the middle surrounded by a glimpse of yellow stamens, and faint veining on the petals. A delicate stem about 4 inches long, not noticeably hairy, and several leaves at ground-level which are deeply lobed [3 lobes] and each lobe is sub-lobed... They are up this spring again in the shady side of my garden near the understory of some tall red cedars and Douglas firs... Not Platystemon californicus or "cream cup", I don't think, but the photo of that looks quite similar; mine don't have the yellow base or tips on the petals, nor the hairy stems. Couldn't find the leaf-type on the web...
Judging from the web photos, no -- mine are softer more delicate-looking flowers, as soft as violets, and the whole plant is slightly larger than a violet. The leaves are deeply cut in 3 lobes somewhat like a maple, deep soft green, thin, not glossy, and each lobe is further lobed. Maybe 3 basal leaves per plant. The blooms are remarkable in that they look at first glance like a miniature Duchess of Edinburgh white super-double clematis bloom. Possibly seeded or planted by a previous owner, possibly wild flowers...
If not native then that opens up a world of possibilities. I didn't catch the 1-1.5 cm before - that is tiny.
Well, maybe 2 cm is closer... I'll try to get a photo, as I'd like to get them i.d.'d. They are popping up amid other woodland wildflowers, I seem to have several varieties which like my garden and I try to leave them alone and/or cultivate them further.
I looked up Anemone nemorosa on the web, and I think that's it! The leaves look the same, the flowers similar and I didn't have time to really pore over them to see for sure. But I will get photos for here as soon as I figure out how to do a closeup with the maddening digital camera we have -- it's fiddly and has software settings with non-user friendly icons for this and that, and a pain to use as one wades through the manual or the various menus. Meanwhile that drains down the battery... grrr. Next one I shall buy, and it will have a simpler control system. But I'll post some as soon as I have time to get them.
Please look at Paghat's Garden website, http://www.paghat.com/anemonevesta.html on the 'Vestal' wood anemone -- I am sure this is it. Wonderful photos posted here. I am positive this is it. Paghat's is a wonderful service, does anyone know further about it?
Further refinement on the wood anemone front: I think it is yet a subgroup of 'Vestal' as per this variety: Anemone nemorosa 'Knighthayes Vestal' , with a tiny area of the yellow stamens [?] showing at the bottom of the central frilly white cluster... seen on the website at: http://www.plantsforshade.co.uk/acatalog/Anemone_nemorosa_knightshayes_vestal.html So I have no idea if these are naturally in this spot, or were planted...
