Bluebell Flowers: Beautiful and Whimsical Perennials

"Winter is not here yet. There's a little flower up yonder, the last bud from the multitude of bluebells that clouded those turf steps in July with a lilac mist." Nelly Dean, Wuthering Heights

Bluebell flowers grow from North America to North Africa and are a favorite flower, no matter which side of the Atlantic they grow on. The flowers are seen in gardens and along pathways, gracing meadows and glens, tucked away in shady forest areas.

Bluebells poke their heads out in spring, usually between April and May and are a welcome messenger of warmer weather. Bluebells can bloom through the summer months, if conditions are right.

Delicate little bluebells could almost make one believe in fairies and magical things, and interestingly enough, the bells are believed by some to call fairies to their meetings.

Bluebells are also called:

• Auld man's bell
• Calverkeys
• Campanula
• Common bluebell
• English bluebell (Europe, British Isles, most often found in woods)
• Harebell
• Spanish bluebells (Europe, British Isles, most often seen in gardens)
• Virginia bluebell (Canada, U.S.)
• Wild hyacinth
• Wood bells

Perhaps, another reason bluebells are so charming, is that they are shaped like little bells. One could imagine a wood sprite making a home in one of them!

Bluebells are a perennial and as such are usually grown from a bulb, although seeds are available. They've been spotted growing in shady areas, such as woodlands, under trees and under bracken and even near sea cliffs. While they are common in the British Isles they do not grow in all places in Britain.

Hybridization has occurred, which, it is believed has impacted natural bluebells, due to invasive Spanish bluebells.

Much more do I prefer

The sweet singing of birds in the woods

And quaint bluebells in their hoods

Lingering in hollows

Where lonely sentinels stood

Centuries ago . . .

* Read rest of poem: Hawthorn's Wood

Actual bluebell woods are found in all parts of Great Britain, in Ireland and in other locations in Europe.

Bluebells make their appearance in areas where new leaves form a canopy above. Bluebells thrive in shady areas and will carpet the forest floor, suppressing competing ground cover, but for all that, lending a charming effect.

Efforts are in place to protect bluebell woods along with other ancient woodlands and to identify and preserve bluebell flowers for future generations.

In Britain, through the months April-June, the Bluebells Walks Season is geared at encouraging people to participate in up to 100 Bluebell Walks, in an effort to spot and identify bluebells growing in Britain.

The Bluebell Walks season is designed to help preserve bluebells in Great Britain. This effort has been initiated in concert with the Natural History Museum, aimed at gaining a better understanding of factors that are impacting on the bluebell.

Those who participate in Bluebells Walks are instructed to try to find different types of bluebells and include their findings in an online survey conducted by the Natural History Museum. This data will be used to chart where different types of bluebells are flowering.

Free Bluebell Walks

Some of the best displays of bluebells can be found in National Trust woodlands and in parks in Great Britain, in Wales and in Ireland.

• Bunker's Hill Wood
• Daisy Hill Wood
• Duncliff Wood
• Forest of Dean
• Foxley Wood
• Heartwood Forest

While bluebells herald the start of spring they may give clues to climate change. Is hybridization altering genes and flowering time or is climate change responsible?

The common bluebell is so revered, it is now protected in the United Kingdom. The National Trust is active in preserving the Nation's bluebells for posterity and many hectares of woodland are now protected.

Additionally, gardeners are cautioned against planting Spanish or hybrid bluebells near native populations.

Unfortunately, beloved bluebells are so treasured by gardeners that they've become an income source to those who flout the law and dig them up and sell them to those eager to plant them in home gardens. This practice, according to Wildlife Trusts, has imperiled the bluebells. It can take over 100 years for a bluebell wood to recover and become established. It is an criminal offense, in fact, to remove bluebells. One can see why.

Not to be forgotten, the Scottish bluebell is another variety that has a clearly defined bell and is every bit as lovely as its counterpart. It is also known as the Harebell. This is the best known Canadian species and it is found from the Yukon Territory to the Atlantic provinces.

In Canada, bluebells flower somewhat later, making an appearance from June through August.

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While the bells can range in color from blue to purple to pinkish to white, the blue color is clearly a favorite.

Wherever they are found, bluebell flowers are clearly captivating, bringing delight to the soul and senses.