Spring colours, Malvern, Worcestershire

Primrose in April

Nature is an infinitely more precise designer than man. Mother natures hand considers not only the individual and his niche, but also how he is influenced by. and in turn his influence upon, all other species around him. It is in fact the very differences between each flower species from one another that earns it his niche, (the same of course is true for birds/ seaweeds/ fish / big cats etc).

Forsythia

This is what makes large similarities more curious. Why are all the early spring native flowers, such as aconites, primrose, daffodil, forsythia etc, all yellow ? Why are all the most wild forms of fruit trees in spring, like cherry, plum, gage, apple, pear and hawthorn, have white blossom ? And again why do the vast majority of the second flush of native flowers, anemone, forget-me-not and bluebell all have blue flowers ?

Daffodil wood in April, (Newent)

Forget-me-nots, today by Malvern stocks

My theory is that there are so few pollinating insects about early in the growing season that all the flowers have to appeal to the broad swathe of insects, and it is beneficial to all if they use the same colour to advertise that their pollen is ready.

One of the very few white naturally occurring bluebells

We have deciphered the bee's dance and it communicates not only the distance and direction to the best flowers, but also their colour, to the bees companion's. We know then that insects make a note of the colour of the best flowers,

Later in the year with pollinating insects being far more numerous, flowers can appeal to a specific few insect types and so more varieties of colour can occur.

Bluebells today between Gardiners Quarry and Black Hill Malvern

Newent and Dymock woods and nature reserves, Gloucestershire.

In Dymock Wood

Wild Primrose and Wood Anemones

Wood Anemone

 I thought I would share some more of the photos from my walk along the woods and nature reserves around Dymock and Newent. Yesterday's walk was just so delightful, and as well as the wide panoramic shots I shared, I also took detailed pictures of some of the flora.

Wild Watercress, (possibly)

As well as the native daffodils which the area is famed for, there are many other beautiful flowers. Here are just a few that I spotted.

Forsythia

There are a few who's names I am not certain of. I have had a go at identifying them though. The wild watercress I found in a book called food for free, but famously when that book was first published a reader died from accidental poisoning as they miss identified something.

Our native flora, almost always beautiful, but occasionally deadly.

Not quite sure, neither an anemone or buttercup

Flower on a clematis like woody vine

Apple Blossom

Daffodil walk through three woods, near Newent, Gloustershire.

View in Betty Daw's Nature Reserve

Betty Daw's Wood

Today I went on a circular Daffodil Trail walk, following a route on a leaflet from Gloustershire Wildlife Trust, (www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk ). It is called, "Discover Gwen and Vera's and Betty Daw's Wood nature reserves".  For my sat nav I found that entering "Four Oaks, Newent" got me there.

Also in Betty Daw's nature reserve

Gwen and Veras Field

I hope you can see from the pictures just how magnificent the woods here look at the moment. The daffodils are a bit past their best, but will still look okay for another 7-10 days. The wood anemones look absolutely fantastic, and the carpet effect of the two mixed together is magnificent.

View in Gwen and Veras Fields Nature Reserve

Dymock Wood

Poultry Park opens 10 am daily

 I would recommend, if you had young children, either to start at Dymock Wood, where there is room for about eight cars to park, or at Betty Daw's Wood, where ther is room for three cars. I would then just go round Dymock Wood,Turn right out of Dymock wood and then just along the road on the right is  The Poultry Park, (if your children like looking at a wide variety of chickens and having the chance to feed them). A little further down the road on the same side as the Poultry Park is the entrance to Gwen and Veras Field's Nature reserve. From the far side of this a footpath across an open field brings you to the back entrance of Betty Daws Wood Nature Reserve. The rest of the circular route is along roads and is not as magnificent as this part, so if Ihad young children who liked to run about I would then just turn back the same way I had come and enjoy the whole thing again.

View in Dymock Wood

A native Lent Lily Daffodil

The main point to these three nature reserves so close to one another, is that between them they hope to preserve the native daffodil species, "Wild Daffodil" or "Lent Lily". These are under threat due to fragmentation and neglect of their habitat, climate change, and the many more ornamental daffodil species that have been introduced by gardeners into their home gardens and then cross pollinate with the native species.