Bluebell Season

It's official Spring has finally arrived here in the UK, the sun is getting warmer and the Bluebells are now out filling our woodlands with luxurious carpets of blue

Photo Description - Boris the Black Cocker Spaniel and Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel sitting side by side in a woodland glade with a carpet of Bluebells behind them
Photo taken by Fur & Fables

They're a little late blooming this year because it's been so wet and cold as Bluebells usually flower from late March to early May, although it does vary from year to year

They are one of the last spring flowers to bloom before the woodland canopy closes up and all the new leaves block out the sunlight

I'm not a superstitious person but there are countless folklore tales surrounding Bluebells, many of which involve dark fairy magic

Bluebell woods are believed to be intricately woven with fairy enchantments and used by these mischievous beings to trap us humans

It is also said that if you hear a Bluebell ring you will be visited by a bad fairy and will die soon after

You should never pick a Bluebell, many believe you will be led astray by fairies and wander lost forever more

Photo Description - A close up of the tiny clump of Bluebells we found today

It's illegal in the UK to pick, uproot or intentionally destroy wild Bluebells as they are a protected species

Bluebell colonies take a very long time to establish – around five to seven years from seed to flower, I didn't see my first native Bluebell until my late teens as they'd become so very rare with the introduction of the more invasive Spanish Bluebell by the Victorians, but over the years and with carefully managed woodlands they're now really making a come back

Photo Description - A close up of the centre stem and the delicate trumpet petals on the Bluebells we found today

I adore these beautiful little flowers and am always very careful on where I position the Boys when taking photos to ensure that we cause no damage to these delicate flowers

So many times we come across native flowers on walks that have been trampled by others, I can only assume it's due to people taking photos without care which is heartbreaking

On today's walk we found a single tiny clump of Bluebells for a mini photo shoot with my phone and the boys

Photo Description - Full body shot of Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel and Boris the Black Cocker sitting on a woodland footpath with a clump of Bluebells in front of them

With careful positioning and a solid Stay it's possible to get some lovely photos of our native flowers and our dogs together without causing any damage to the flowers themselves

Photo Description - Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel laying amongst a huge carpet of Bluebells in a wonderful woodland glade. The photo is taken at a low angle so that you can only see his head emerging from amongst the blue as he's laying on a path that is clear of bluebells
Photo taken by Fur & Fables

Getting that perfect photo is no excuse for trampling the flowers, we only ever take photos around the edges of any wild flowers where they are at their thinnest, preferring the flowers to be a carpet of colour in the background with hopefully one or two individuals in the front if possible

Leaving no trace when taking photos is something I feel most strongly about, plus the next person that comes along can also enjoy our native flowers as much as I have 

Do you have a favourite native flower in your neck of the woods?

 

Dawn xxx

If you love online Jigsaw Puzzles check out our latest puzzle here of this weeks photo(s)

This Post is linked too

1) Brian's Thankful Thursday 

2) DVArtist Friday Face Off 

Follow