Hob Hey Wood is ancient semi-natural woodland so has had many centuries to develop a varied and interesting range of flower species. Some varieties are spectacularly showy, such as the bluebell and wild garlic, others are more retiring (such as the common violet) yet no less beautiful. Many are also ‘ancient woodland indicator’ species. These slow-spreading flowers are found mostly in ancient woodland and as the name suggests, are a good indicator that a woodland is truly ancient.

A visit to the wood in late winter will show the first green shoots of a spectacular floral display to come in the next few months.

Usually, the first to appear, even if the weather is truly wintry in March, is lesser celandine. This herald of spring carpets large areas of the wood and gives a sunny look to the wood even in the darkness of late winter. The flowers provide a really important source of nectar for bees, so early in the year. Lesser celandine is also known as 'pilewort' and, yes, it was actually used to treat piles!

Around the same time as lesser celandine appears the little flower with a big name: opposite-leaved golden saxifrage. These yellow flowers are tiny but subtly beautiful, are quite common but easy to overlook.

In early April, the wood anemones then appear. Again, these can produce quite large carpets of spectacularly brilliant white flowers. These flowers, another ancient woodland indicator is named for the Greek god of wind (who sent his namesakes, the anemones, to herald the coming of spring). Because of this it is given the alternative name 'windflower'.

A recent discovery (for me) in Hob Hey Wood is the primrose. I found a small clump of these pretty little flowers near the main bridge as well as a clump in the new wood. 

Also in April, wood sorrel flowers. These are generally found in small clumps, often in slightly raised areas. They are edible and said to have an apple-like taste that is quite refreshing.

The above flowers precede the main event: bluebells and wild garlic. These flower in late April to mid-May and can cover large areas.

The wild garlic is very common in the wetter parts of the wood. The large white flowers look spectacular when in full bloom and are very attractive to bees. It's possible to tell when the wild garlic is out simply by the smell; the wood will be redolent with the smell of garlic during this time. Wild garlic is edible and can be used in many dishes including salads.

You can see the largest patch of bluebells to the south of the main bridge but they are present in numbers throughout the wood. They also have a scent but much less pungent than the wild garlic. When in flower, there's fewer more spectacular sights in woodland. A sea of cerulean blue coating the woodland floor. We are so lucky, Britain has 50% of the world's bluebell woods!

Our group is focusing on helping the bluebell spread through the wood; hopefully, the bluebell displays will get more spectacular year on year.

Easy to overlook (but spectacularly beautiful when they ARE seen) is the common dog violet. These appear in April and can be seen in small patches on the path to the north bridge as well as by the main bridge. 

When the bluebells and ramsons have faded away, there’s still plenty to see. 
Wood avens is a common flower that occurs in small groups rather than large mats in the wood. It's thought that the common name 'Herb Bennet' arose from the medieval Latin 'herba benedicta' meaning 'the blessed herb' because the plant was widely used in herbal medicine at this time.

Red campion flowers after the bluebells are past their best, their pink contrasting with most other flowers yellow and white colours.  Folklore tells that red campion flowers guard bees’ honey stores, as well as protecting fairies from being discovered.

A flower with an 'enchanting' name: enchanter's nightshade. This flowers in summer and is quite common in the wood. The Latin name Circaea relates to Circe, an enchantress sometimes depicted as the Greek goddess of magic, who was known for her knowledge of herbs.

Herb robert, flowering from May to September has the rather unsettling other name of 'death-come-quickly' which refers to a myth that an evil fairy would visit a household and someone would die.

Yellow pimpernel can be found along the northern path in the wood, close to the north bridge. Where it occurs, it can be present in large mats, its tiny yellow flowers giving a dazzling display.

Three-veined sandwort is really easy to overlook as its flowers are really tiny. I have found two patches in the wood, one near the picnic table.

One plant to be wary of is lords and ladies. This flowers in April and May and produces red berries in autumn. Although these look pretty, they’re very toxic and should be avoided. They are the biggest cause of plant-poisoning in Britain as, although they're unlikely to be fatal, the burning and swelling sensations felt when part of the plant is ingested is both immediate and alarming. Look but don't touch.

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Our most recent discovery has been the presence of orchids in the 'new wood' near the north bridge. These beautiful flowers put on a spectacular display in June and July.

Hob Hey Wood is an excellent place to see the flowers shown here. When you visit, see how many you can spot and why not post your pictures on our Facebook page.