When I find a bluebell wood, it's very tempting to go overboard and take loads of photos. Then it's always rather frustrating because pictures never quite have the impact that the real scene has. Ilkley's Middleton Woods are a famous location for the blooms, and with some justification. On the gently sloping terrain, the blue carpet effect is really evident.
They were not quite at their peak when I had a walk there and they seemed to be suffering a little from the very dry weather we had in April. Being quite fleshy plants, they need some moisture to look at their best. Still really beautiful though, and I especially liked the areas where the yellow lesser celandines were out too. The combination of yellow and blue is a very Spring-like palette.
Ilkley's slopes are south-facing and therefore often slightly ahead of my local Hirst Woods display. I'm hoping they won't peak for at least another couple of weeks as I've planned a camera club outing to explore Saltaire and our woods and it would be lovely if the bluebells were looking good.
Heavenly!
ReplyDeleteThey are so pretty. Then I remember another spring wildflower of blue in Texas, the Bluebonnets, which like roadside ditches, so perhaps a bit of moisture is also to their taste.
ReplyDeleteThey make such a lovely blue carpet!
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely.
ReplyDelete