hiding in the shadows

We have a large colony of mayapples. Its a strange and beautiful woodland plant. We humans rarely see the flowers unless we get down on our knees and peer under the thick canopy of umbrella-like leaves. Steve and I have been (ridiculously) busy entertaining this past week, and as a result I almost missed their flowering season. A few hold outs came though for me, only dropping one petal on the transport inside to my dining room table where they happily sat for this sriking portrait.

mayapple flowers in late May (Podophyllum peltatum)