Aman Park March 30 2026

 Hepatica!

Marie kindly drove us to Aman Park March 30, 2026.  Aman Park is in Ottawa County Michigan.  We knew it was a bit early to see many flowers, but we saw my favorite wildflower - Hepatica.  Each plant is unique and can be white, pink, or purple.  I especially like the deep purple ones.  Here are a few more Hepatica.

We did see just a few Spring Beauty blooming.

And one blooming Purple Cress.

Sand Creek

Along Sand Creek at Aman Park, we found a sandy shore so we explored for a few minutes.  There were two friendly Mourning Cloak butterflies here. One landed right by my boot! 

My boots in Sand Creek.

We wandered at a slow pace along the creek trail for 2 miles and almost 3 hours.  It was a beautiful day. The temperature hit 70 degrees with a slight cooling breeze.  We did keep an eye out for Harbinger of Spring but we didn’t see it at Aman. So, Marie took us to Hager Park, also in Ottawa County.

At Hager Park near a picnic area, there are hundreds of Harbinger of Spring plants and this year there seemed to be even more than usual!  We spent a little more time at Hager Park walking and looking. 

Harbinger of Spring 

Then it was time to head home. About 25 miles back to my house, then Marie has another 33 miles to her home.  Thanks Marie for the driving!  

I also had a fun walk that evening with Mike and Betsy at Connor Bayou Park.  We didn’t see flowers blooming, but we did see turtles sunning themselves!

Connor Bayou in Ottawa County Michigan

What a great day!  

Aman Park in Ottawa County Michigan

 April 30 2025 Marie and I walked at Aman Park to see the wildflowers.  It is a special place with many trails, a creek, and a variety of wildflowers. We had a lovely day, thanks again Marie for taking me.

Sand Creek

Trillium 

Aberration on a trillium and below on a Spring Beauty

Virginia Bluebell

Lousewort

Aman Park in Ottawa County, Michigan - May 7 2019

Aman Park is where hundreds of Large-Flowered Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) bloom in early to mid May.  I started my stroll at the southern parking area, then through the woods where the trail heads down into the deep ravine. 

 Along these steep hills grow Bellwort, Large-Flowered Trillium, and Miterwort.

 The Large-Flowered Bellwort were blooming, notice how they bloom with their heads hanging down, and very droopy.  It was a bit early in the season for Miterwort.

Once in the ravine you come to a bridge over Sand Creek.

There are two bridges at Aman over Sand Creek, this is the southern bridge.  After crossing the bridge, I turned right and followed the trail that runs beside the creek.

 Here is what I saw on my walk alongside the creek.

 Buttercup

 Mayapple with buds

Several different types of violets

 Wild Ginger

 

Bloodroot leaves, these are already done blooming.

 Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) grow in large colonies,  in the areas that flood in the spring.  Most of the Virginia Bluebells were just starting to bloom. 

 

 

 

It is about a mile walk from the southern bridge to the northern bridge if you take the creekside path.  The creek snakes back and forth several times.  The trail is quite rough in places, and sometimes leads you right into the creek.  I stopped often to look around and just enjoyed all of it. 

 Look at all that green, and all those plants!

 

There are so many Spring wildflowers at this one park.  Spring Beauty, Cut-Leaved Toothwort, Spring Cress, anemones, bedstraw, and rue. 
Brand new ferns were pushing up out of the ground.  Bumble Bees, and some other types of bees were buzzing and flitting from flower to flower.  And the birds were singing the sweetest songs.

Spring Beauty

 

  Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) 

 

 

False Rue Anemone (Enemion biternatum)

 Pawpaw bud (Asimina triloba) - lots of Pawpaw trees.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

 

 Wild Geranium

 

Dwarf Ginseng (Panax trifolius)



 Squirrel Corn
 

 

Dutchman's Breeches




Wild Blue Phlox

 

Sharp-Lobed Hepatica leaves, all done blooming.


 Here come the trillium, see that white on the rise ahead?  Large-Flowered Trillium!  They are grand, especially with hundreds of plants growing right next to each other.  It is a sight to see for yourself, if you can.

 

  

 

 

 

In one area at Aman Park, I look for a group of trillium with an anomaly, multiple green petals, there are about 4 plants that look like this...

 

 



That was a 2 1/2 hour walk, I walked three miles total, so I do go slow and enjoy.  It was partly sunny, and 60 degrees - a perfect day to be in the woods.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my walk.