Legend has it that a field or wood full of bluebells is intricately woven with fairy enchantments, with fairies trapping anyone passing by, particularly children. It’s unsurprising that a wealth of folklore surrounds these flowers, given that carpets of flowering bluebells are one of the most beautiful events in nature’s calendar.
There are two types of bluebell to be found in the UK – native bluebells and Spanish bluebells and April & May are the time to get out and see them. They are a distinctive deep violet-blue flower with a nodding head and petal tips that curl back.
The best places to find bluebells are in ancient woodlands where a rich habitat supports a range of species. Bluebells are important flowers for bees, hoverflies and butterflies, which feed on their nectar.
Locally, you can find bluebells, in the following places:
- Skirrid Fawr, a National Trust wood
- Clytha Estate, a National Trust wood
- Coed Cefn, a Woodland Trust wood
- Llangattock Beechwood, Brecon Beacons National Park
Interesting facts about bluebells
- In the Bronze Age, bluebell ‘glue’ was used to attach feathers to arrows
- The Victorians used the starch from crushed bluebells to stiffen the ruffs of their collars and sleeves
- Bluebell sap was used to bind pages to the spines of books
- According to folklore, to hear a bluebell ring is a sign of impending death!
