Bluebells in the garden, an Ancient Woodland indicator species, started coming out about ten days ago.
Posts Tagged ‘woodlands’
Bluebells
April 13, 2014Bluebells
May 25, 2013Bluebell
March 28, 2012In Japan, spring is heralded by the cherry blossom trees coming into flower.
In England, it is the bluebell that heralds the arrival of spring.
Although found across northern Europe, it is in England that bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) comes into its own.
Ancient woodlands, with trees of oak, hazel and ash, once coppiced, though now mostly neglected, in the spring are a carpet of blue.
Bluebells are the second wave of woodland flowers. The first wave are much closer to the ground.
The trees then come into leaf, shading out the ground.
Nothing of interest will now be found in the woods, apart from butterflies flitting around sunny glades and woodland rides, until the autumn, when the woodland fungi can be found.
Last week, bluebells were just starting to come into flower in my garden.
April, I will expect the woodland area of my garden to be carpeted with bluebells.
Bluebells are usually blue, but occasionally they are white and purple.