Lily-of-the-valley bells arch between large striped leaves in a leafy woodland coloring page.

Lily-of-the-Valley Arch in a Leafy Woodland

A tall lily-of-the-valley bends its row of tiny bell flowers between two broad veined leaves and busy woodland sprigs.

🎨 How to color it

Color the lily-of-the-valley bells creamy white, the two big veined leaves bright spring green, and the small side flowers sunny yellow. Use chunky crayons or markers for the wide leaves, then let a grown-up help with the tiny bell drops and narrow fern leaves if you like. Try making the bent flower stem a darker green than the leaves so the row of little bells stands out.

The story behind this coloring page

Why Bellflowers Bow Low — Under the fern hollow, Tavi carried a cup of morning hush. Shh-shh went the grass around his ankles. Read the full story →

Under the fern hollow, Tavi carried a cup of morning hush. Shh-shh went the grass around his ankles. He wanted to pour it on the sleepy seeds before the loud jays woke. But the tallest bellflower stood straight as a spoon and blocked the path.

Then a shiny blue beetle rolled out from under a leaf, clicking like pebbles in a jar. “Wait,” she whispered. Tavi waited. The beetle climbed each little bell, tap-tap, leaving a cool dew drop on every rim. The stem grew heavy, softer, lower.

At last it bowed, and the hush slipped through to the seeds. Ever since, bellflowers bend politely, carrying dew for anyone patient enough to notice. Next time you see those drooping bells, can you spot where the beetle clicked first?