That most lovely of all wildflowers, Ms Bluebell, has pushed her beautiful head upward and is abundant with life.
When I was a little girl, there was a place called Bluebell Woods. I would spend many enchantingly happy hours in Bluebell Woods. I was a very wistful little girl and the carpet of Bluebells in the shade of the trees was my favourite place to be. I would read up on the folklore that is said to surround Bluebells and I would create my very own fantasies involving fairies and witches. Many of my dreams were thought up within those trees and the flowers knew all my deepest desires and wishes.
And in Springtime, our house was abundant with the pretty flowers. I would pick handfuls, carry them home by the bundles and proudly present them to my mum who would always gasp with delight and promptly retrieve her assortment of vases and jars to display them in.
Of course, the Bluebell is now a protected wildflower and it is, quite rightly, illegal to uproot a bulb or damage the flower. Bluebells grow in ancient woodland and are a vital part of the eco-system. It’s also vital therefore to prevent our woodlands from disappearing because they are the perfect habitat for Bluebells.
So, if you come across these vibrant and colourful flowers when you’re out walking, absorb and enjoy their simple beauty. But leave them be. T’would not do to damage them. And, if ye are to believe the folklore, it certainly wouldn’t do to happen upon a chiming Bluebell.