It’s spring….
…….and Ruislip woods is full of wood anemones and bluebells.
The woods anemones arrive first, beautiful and delicate white, star like, flowers that open wide in the sun and off a sweet-smelling scent. Large sections of the forest floor are covered with them; which is amazing given that this plant is very slow to grow – six feet in a hundred years!
The wood anemone is also the county flower of Middlesex – when the suburbs were built, woods, such as Ruislip woods, were by-passed and preserved allowing the wood anemone and other plants to continue to bloom.
Don’t touch this flower though, it may be beautiful, but it is also poisonous to humans.
The bluebells create their own carpets, but can also be seen amidst the wood anemones – an artistic and joyous splattering of white and deep blue. Nearly half the world’s bluebells are found in the UK, and conservation organisations have worked hard to protect the English bluebell from the Spanish bluebell. The Spanish bluebell, which is lighter in colour with flowers on both sides of the stem, grows more quickly and therefore can out-compete the more delicate English bluebell. It takes 5 to 7 years for a bluebell colony to establish and, akin to the wood anemone, please don’t pick them – they are not poisonous, but it is illegal to do so.
Outdoors Activity
What Spring flowers have you noticed growing in your area? See if you can find some of the attached spring flowers
Which is your favourite? You can paint or photograph it and email to webteam@eastcotera.co.uk and we will put them up on our website.
Alternatively you can use the photo of wood anemones and bluebells to create your own picture. Try using different media to create your own style.
Indoors Activity
Try making some of the flowers you see using materials such as tissue paper/card/paper and wire.
If you need help with this there are plenty of tutorials on the internet such as: https://www.firstpalette.com/craft/folding-paper-flowers-8petal.html
Diana Williams, local resident who helps with ‘Classroon in the Woods’