Woodland flowers

There can be few places that so readily stir the senses as a springtime walk in Britain's deciduous woodland. Many woodland plants make the most of the available light by flowering early, and before the trees are in full leaf. Add to this the variety of bird song from woodland birds and you can maybe understand why our native woodlands are something to treasure. It's just a pity that the Internet can't create the heady fragrance of plants such as woodland wild bluebells. Compare the richly coloured woodland floor in the first 11 pictures with that of a coniferous plantation. Further comment would be superfluous!

Click on any of the pictures for an enlarged view

daffodil lesser celandine wood anemone wood sorrel
Daffodil - Flowering time February to April. Flourish in deciduous woodland and familiar in its garden form.
Lesser celandine - Flowering time March to May. A low growing plant with vivid yellow flowers and heart shaped leaves
Wood anemone - Flowering time March to May. Grows in profusion, often covering the woodland floor.
Wood sorrel - Flowering time April to May. A low growing plant with clover like leaves and lilac veined flowers

greater stitchwort pink purslane bluebell ramsons
Greater stitchwort - Flowering time April to June. A slender stemmed plant that was used medicinally to cure pains and 'stitches'
Pink purslane - Flowering from April onwards. A low growing 'carpeting' plant from the Pacific coasts of N. America and Siberia.
Bluebell- Flowering time April to June. Native to north west Europe. 'Nodding bells' with a delicate hyacinth fragrance.
Ramsons - Flowering time April to June. A 6 petalled, broad leafed plant with an overpowering smell of garlic.

red campion rhododendron foxglove coniferous plantation
Red campion - Flowering time May to June. A woodland margin plant with rose pink flowers and hairy leaves
Rhododendron - Flowering time May to June. An evergreen shrub, native to southern Europe, but naturalized in many woodlands
Foxglove -Flowering time June to September. A tall, leafy, biennial plant with (usually) purple flowers on a spike.
In contrast the 'woodland floor' of a coniferous plantation is totally devoid of plant growth

| Many of these plants are also at home in a wild flower garden |
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