Bluebell Wood

Bluebell Wood Oxford-shire in May

My son Andy took the above photograph at the weekend and I thought it show-cased the beauty of  an English deciduous wood in May. The weather in England may still be wet and cold but the countryside can provide wonderful visual treats for those willing to don 'Welly boots' and take their children out for fresh air and fun in the woods.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta (formerly Endymion non-scriptus or Scilla non-scripta) is a bulbous perennial plant, found in the British Isles, that is also frequently used as a garden plant. It is known in English as the common bluebell or simply bluebell, a name which is used in Scotland to refer to the harebell, Campanula rotundifolia.

 In spring, H. non-scripta produces a nodding, one-sided inflorescence of 5–12 tubular, sweet-scented violet–blue flowers, with strongly recurved tepals, and 3–6 long, linear, basal leaves.

H. non-scripta is particularly associated with ancient woodland where it may dominate the understorey to produce carpets of violet–blue flowers in "bluebell woods".