During this weird and unsettling time, we're all very grateful to be able to get out and enjoy
the beautiful Somerset countryside. With Spring in full-swing, we have put together our top 10 favourite Spring flowers to look out for whilst on your daily exercise.
Daffodils
Daffodils, also known by their botanical name narcissus, are a sure sign of Spring! Growing in full sun or partial shade, the Daffodil’s iconic yellow colour makes them instantly recognisable. However, the blossoms also come in white, cream, orange and sometimes even pink. Depending where you live, Daffodils will begin to grow from as early as February or as late as April.
Wild Garlic
Wild garlic is a medium-sized bulbous perennial with a distinctive and pungent garlicky smell that you can’t miss. Look for them in shady woods where they coat the woodland floor in spring. Aside from it’s pretty and dainty flowers, wild garlic is a truly idyllic culinary treat, from making your own pesto to adding it to your fish and meat dishes. Check out some recipe ideas here.
Dandelion Clock
The dandelion is the only flower said to represent the three celestial bodies of the sun, moon and stars. The yellow flower resembling the sun, the puff ball resembling the moon and the dispersing seeds resembling the stars. The classic Dandelion also has one of the longest flowering seasons of any plant, with seeds often carried as many as 5 miles from their origin. Some people believe that dandelions may be able to tell you if you're loved. Legend has it that, if you can blow all the seeds off a dandelion with a single breath, then the person you love will love you back. So what are you waiting for? Off you go to blow the seeds!
Tulip
Tulips are a hugely popular flower, due to their brilliant bright colours and beautiful shapes. They grow best in full sunlight, sheltered from strong winds and intensely dislike wet conditions. Now is the perfect time to see these whilst out and about, standing proudly in flower beds. As part of the Lily family, there are over 150 species of tulips and they are just as popular as cut flowers, as they are in your garden!
Apple Blossom
Apple blossom is the flower of an apple tree. Not only is it beautiful to look at, but it also supports a variety of wildlife. Look out for apple tree leaves—coarse and oval—and blossoms, appearing from March-April, which are pink or white, blooming in spring, made up of 5 petals, and up to three-quarters of an inch across.
Lily of the Valley
Charming, sweetly scented and highly poisonous, lily-of-the-valley is a romantic woodland stunner. Favouring chalky soils, this beautiful flower is usually found in dry woodlands and although located all over the UK, it is less common in Scotland and Ireland. If you spot Lily of the Valley whilst out and about, it could be a sign that you're standing in a rare and special habitat, as it is an ancient-woodland-indicator plant.
Hyacinth
Yet another beauty, the Hyacinth is a strongly fragranced flower that blooms in dense clusters, resembling clusters of grapes. These flowers prefer sun or partial shade and each colour flower has a unique fragrance, making them a commonly used flower for perfume making. It is believed the hyacinth was first grown in Constantinople in the sixteenth century. They were later introduced to Europe where hyacinth-lovers bred many new varieties and developed different colours of the fragrant flower. Today, however, these flowers are mainly grown in Holland.
Bluebell
Bluebells are a sure sign that spring is in full swing. Of course, a favourite with the fairies - the violet glow of a bluebell wood is an incredible wildflower spectacle. The bluebell is protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, so please don’t pick or uproot the plants, and be careful not to trample over woodland flowers!
Cherry Blossom
Wild cherry produces small baubles of white flowers that cover the tree with a confident flourish in April-May. Typically, cherry trees only have a short lifespan, living for approximately 16-20 years, however, certain species have a much longer life expectancy. Black cherry trees, for example, can live up to 250 years. In Japan, the cherry blossoms and the leaves are edible and used in many traditional Japanese sweets and tea.
Cowslip
The Cowslip is a delicate yellow flower and the cousin of the Primrose.
Formerly a common plant of traditional hay meadows, ancient woodlands and hedgerows, the loss of these habitats has caused a serious decline in its populations. Like many other spring flowers, the Cowslip is closely associated with English folklore and tradition, including adorning garlands for May Day and being strewn on church paths for weddings.
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