Flower of the moment- Wild Bluebells

I love learning about the folklore, spirituality and facts about the nature around us, all of it inspires my choices in my candles and wax melts. My mother bought me a book on the Flower Fairies, I remember being in awe of them as a young girl. I have always adored bluebells, there is always something so magical when you stumbled across the violet hue of a blanket of bluebells while walking in the silence of woodland.

Seeing wild bluebells is said to be an indicator of ancient woodlands. Bluebell colonies take a long time to establish – around five to seven years from seed to flower. Ancient woodlands have a distinctive flora and ecology, having been established for hundreds of years. Only 2.4% of Britain is ancient woodland. Extensive development and air pollution depleted our once native woods. Currently, 1207 ancient woodlands remain under threat in Britain.

Almost half the world's bluebells are found in the UK – they’re relatively rare elsewhere. As a valuable part of British nature, it is illegal to intentionally pick, uproot or destroy bluebells. Bluebells can take years to recover after footfall damage. If a bluebell’s leaves are crushed, they die back from lack of food because they can no longer photosynthesise.

The Spanish bluebell is more vigorous than our native bluebell, so can outcompete it for resources like light and space. It can hybridise with our native bluebell, too, so the native bluebell could eventually be wiped out. The Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) have an upright stem supporting flowers, are lighter in colour and the petals splay.

Native bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) are distinctive in the way they droop down to one side, they are a deep blue colour and the flowers curl back at the petal tips. So if you ever decide to plant bluebells in your garden, make sure you buy the native bluebell seeds to help keep up the numbers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bluebell means “constancy.” It is a symbol of humility, constancy, gratitude and everlasting love. These dainty flowers are also known as Fairy Flowers because of all the folklore and superstition surrounding them. There’s a belief that wearing a garland of bluebells will induce you to speak only the truth.

In folklore, bluebells were said to ring when fairies were summoning their kin to a gathering and that it is unlucky to walk on bluebells because they are full of spells. If you wander into a ring of bluebells you will fall under fairy enchantment and apparently bluebells were used in witches’ potions.

Researchers are currently looking into the bluebell’s highly effective animal and insect repellent properties. There’s even the possibility that certain bluebell extracts could be used to combat HIV and cancer. (Maybe those witches were ahead of their time!)

Click HERE to view my Wild Bluebell candle and HERE for my Wild Bluebell wax melts.

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