We saw our first Bluebells of the year on Tuesday in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District, just coming into flower.  They are often a little later here than further south in the country.

Native bluebells are protected against sale by law.  That means it is illegal to dig up the bulbs from the wild in order to sell them, and if  you don’t own the land it is illegal to dig them up for any purpose.

Some estimates suggest the UK has up to half of the world’s total bluebell population.  They like damp places without too much sunlight, so woodlands are ideal.  We saw these on a bank under trees near to the village of Hope.