Spring Flowers

It's Spring! After hibernating through a very long, and unbelievably wet and windy winter (looking at you, climate change...) life has burst back into Darch's Wood.

Birds are singing vigorously to demarcate their breeding territories, insects are emerging and mating, and the woodland flowers are daily becoming an ever greater sight to behold. Beginning with violets and wood anemones, the forest floor is soon awash with lesser celandine, glorious bluebells, the unusual lords-and-ladies (or cuckoo pint!) and greater stitchwort, to name but a few. All are timed to bloom before the canopy closes, which then prevents as much light from reaching the woodland floor.

Our eyes are currently trained on the areas cleared of the ever present (and infernal!) invasive, non-native cherry laurel and rhododendron this winter to see if the restored penetration of light to the forest floor in these areas causes any dormant seeds to germinate. On your walks through the woods, have a look out to see what you can find, and please comment below to let us know your sightings!

Please remember to continue to employ social distancing in the woods, and to walk round in a clockwise direction.