Hepatica in spring

I've only seen a small patch of flowering Hepatica in a local native plant garden nearby (Botanical Gardens at Asheville) so far this spring.

But my gardening companion, on a wildflower excursion to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, saw carpets of them, on one of the popular trails.

Hepatica (Anemone) in flower

I've loved tracking the first Hepaticas of spring for many years.  Such fun... And my first journey, in the snow, to look for Hepatica nobilis with my lab group:  that was the start of my Hepatica following.