This is only the second spring I've travelled these lanes but the number of bluebells along them is amazing compared to last year. Last year, there were a few bluebells along here but nothing like this, They were spaced out clumps along the banks, not banks full of them. They're popping in the bottom of hedges and along the banks of streams too where I didn't see any last year. I can only conclude that the weather this year must have been particularly good for bluebells. Or perhaps they have a few years when there's not so many and then a year where there's a lot more of them, like mast years for trees? Whatever the reason, it's made my daily journey a delight this year! And as I'm writing this several days after the event (on Saturday, I've been AWOL again this week!) I can add that a few more have flowered since I took these photos on Tuesday.
The pheasant is probably saying, 'you should have seen the other guy.' : ).
ReplyDeleteBluebells are actually very good at self seeding, they spread themselves around quite quickly. I have more and more popping up in the garden every year!
ReplyDeleteI know the Spanish ones are very good at self seeding, an invasive nuisance! I didn't realise English bluebells were so successful. It's hard to believe how far they've spread since last year if that's the case!
DeleteThe problem with the Spanish ones is actually not that they spread quicker, but that when the two species come close enough to be cross pollenated they will readily hybridise. So it only takes a couple of them (or more commonly, the hybrids) to end up near a patch of English bluebells (from fly tipping of garden waste, for example) and suddenly we start to have hybrids spreading instead of the native plants.
Deletehttp://sppaccounts.bsbi.org.uk/content/hyacinthoides-non-scripta-h-hispanica-h-x-massartiana
Very interesting, thank you!
DeleteI thought the Spanish ones were good at spreading after observing them in my grandmother's garden. She has Spanish bluebells (not hybrids) and tries so hard to get rid of them but they just keep coming back and spreading rapidly.