Many beautiful spring native wildflowers can be found growing in Connecticut’s fields, forests and wetlands. Their appearance not only delights the eyes, but they also lift winter-weary spirits from the drabness of cold months.

Naturalists Barbara and Peter Rzasa will provide a PowerPoint presentation highlighting some of their favorite native spring wildflowers at the March 26 meeting of The Garden Club of Newtown to be held at Cyrenius H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street.

The program will begin at 1 pm.

Many spring flowers are ephemeral, having to emerge early, bloom and produce seed before our overhead trees leaf out. True ephemerals will soon disappear as shade begins to blanket the forest floor.

Spring wildflowers play an important role in nature as they provide food for pollinators such as bumblebees, solitary wasps and butterflies.

Hepatica, wood anemone, Dutchman’s breeches, bloodroot, trillium, trout lily, lady-slipper, May apple and wild ginger will be described. Uncommon flowers such as early saxifrage, pink corydalis, bird’s-foot violet and cuckoo flower will also be highlighted.

Many are easily observed in nature, but many others are elusive and require a bit of searching. Stories and flower folklore of our native spring wildflowers will be shared.

Barbara Rzasa is a retired graphic designer who uses her artistic skills to create nature-based watercolor paintings. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in art from Southern Connecticut State University.

Peter Rzasa earned his BS degree in Forest Chemistry from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Both are nature photographers who provide presentations on trees, plants and wildflowers, with the goal of encouraging people to look more closely at the wonders of our natural world.