Mild winter and spring likely to bring bluebells out early – Forestry England
The organisation which looks after the country’s 1,500 public forests also expects a bumper display of the flowers in woodlands.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The mild winter and spring could bring bluebells into bloom early and deliver a bumper display of the woodland flowers, Forestry England said.
Bluebells usually flower from late March to early May, one of the last spring woodland flowers to bloom after snowdrops, primroses, celandine and wood anemones, but this year’s mild winter and spring means they may well be early.
Forestry England, which looks after the country’s 1,500 public woods and forests, also said it expected a bumper bluebell display in woodlands this year.
The organisation is encouraging people to head to woodlands and enjoy the blue, scented carpets of flowers this spring.
It comes after provisional figures from the Met Office showed both England and Wales saw their warmest February on record, and the winter as a whole was the fifth warmest ever recorded for the UK.
It is the latest sign the unusually warm weather is having an impact on the natural world.
The National Trust has said that the mild weather has brought forward the blossoming of trees and shrubs including magnolias in its gardens.
The charity says the arrival of blooms as much as four weeks early is a clear sign of the impact of climate change.
Forestry England has produced a list of some of the best places to see bluebells in its woods this spring, reminding people that the flowers are easily damaged so they should stick to paths and trails.
Top spots range from Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest in Kent and Westonbirt, the National Arboretum in Gloucestershire, to the ancient woodlands of West Woods, Wiltshire, and Robin Wood, Derbyshire, as well as the trail along the banks of Bedburn Beck in Hamsterley Forest, County Durham.