Wildflowers of all colors, shapes and sizes soon will be in bloom at Cornell Plantations' Mundy Wildflower Garden.

"Spring brings a variety of wildflowers to our region, and this eight-acre woodland site is one of the best places to see them," says gardener Nancy Adams. "This collection features plants that are native to the Cayuga Lake Basin as well as plants that have escaped from cultivation."

• Skunk cabbage, hepatica and coltsfoot bloom in early April, often as the last remnants of snow are melting.
• Soon to follow are spring ephemerals like Dutchman's breeches, trout lily and spring beauty. "These ephemerals leaf out, flower, set seed and wither to their dormant state -- all by early summer, before the trees fully leaf out and block their sunlight," says Adams.

And spring is just the beginning for wildflower lovers at Cornell Plantations. Many interesting plants bloom in the wildflower garden throughout the summer and into the fall. The garden entrance is located at the intersection of Forest Home Drive and Caldwell Road, where limited off-road parking is available.

Like other Plantations collections, the wildflower garden is open, free of charge, to the public during daylight hours. For more information on this and other Cornell Plantations gardens, stop by the Garden Gift Shop, call (607) 255-3020 or visit the Plantations web site at http://www.plantations.cornell.edu.