I’m inspired by “pioneering ideas.”
Concepts and applications that are newly arriving or reimagined in a new way.
Inspired today by the many wild ginger plants growing in our woods.
Wild ginger is considered a spring ephemerals. This means it’s one of the first plants to bloom and often fades as the majority of plants around it are just getting started.
It’s a pioneer of spring.
I also love this plant because it’s discrete flower, lying below the canopy of sorts, is an unusually beautiful rust color. The fact that you have to look for it makes it even more satisfying to see.
While wild ginger is a native plant to my area, many other spring ephemerals are rising up which are invasive.
Interesting to me that these harmful and toxic plants such as garlic mustard are also pioneers of spring.
A reminder to me that pioneering, innovative ideas sometimes can harm the rest of the system around them. Maybe best to ensure pioneering ideas are more native than invasive.
Also I’m intrigued that while wild ginger is pioneering the season, it’s nothing new and has been around long before humans have. Maybe new ideas don’t need to be new entirely, just new for the season.
Go find some spring ephemerals in your area and see what lesson they have for you.
A few things that inspired this post:
A friend Anna and Steve gifting us some ramps to cook with and plant in our woods. Also spring ephemerals.
phil invites 