The countless young leaves on the trees provide a lot of shade and as a result the bluebells are starting to stand out less. They are also starting to wilt and the ovaries are starting to swell. And because the ferns are growing above the bluebells in some places, the blue sea of flowers is gradually disappearing. In the valleys, where the soil is wetter and calcareous, bear’s garlic provides a beautiful white sea of flowers. Meanwhile, after the wood anemones, the bluebells and bear’s garlic, the last carpet-forming spring bloomer is in bloom: lily-of-the-valley. It is mainly the leaves that provide ‘the carpet’ and are noticeable. Not all plants form flowers and the small white bell-shaped flowers hang a little hidden between the leaves. Lily of the valley grows on rather dry, fairly acidic soils. It remains wonderful to walk and enjoy the forest, but the fairytale bluebell season is past its peak.
