Geoff Berkheimer

We made it through another Chicago winter. The entire city is coming out of hibernation and we’ll be surrounded by lush greenery and delicate wildflowers before you know it. In Chicagoland, we have a fleeting category of flowers known as ‘ephemerals’ that only bloom for a tiny window of time in spring—sometimes for just a few hours. Soaking up as much sun as possible before leaves return to the trees, these pioneers illuminate the forest floor with a constellation of color and then retreat underground until the next thaw. Over the next few months, these babies are going to be popping off in a park near you. You seriously don’t want to miss this. Jackson Park Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow Calling Chicago a “City in a Garden” seems like a bit of a stretch in most neighborhoods, but you can get lost on Jackson Park’s Wooded Island. Originally built as part of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, you can see remnants of the park’s odd legacy throughout Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. Grab a quick bus from downtown to earn some “awesome points” with your next date because you know about history and you also have a sensitive side that appreciates natural beauty. Somme Prairie Grove For over 40 years, ecological restoration efforts have been transforming Somme’s 400-plus acres of grassland, woodland and savannah back into an oasis of wildlife. Accessible by public transportation (Metra Milwaukee District North Line to Northbrook), Somme’s 3.5 miles of trails wind around pon