A wonderful bank of bluebells on the edge of Keil's Den.A bluebell, is a bluebell, is a bluebell isn't it. Well, apparently not. In Scotland the purists would call a bluebell a wild hyacinth, although 'Walking through a wild hyacinth wood' doesn't sound nearly so poetic. The Scottish bluebell is called a harebell in England and is a campanula and a much more fragile delicate plant.
And then there is the Spanish invasion. The Spanish bluebell was first introduced into British gardens as an ornimental plant around 1680, so it seems a bit late to start worrying about it. It was favoured over the native bluebell because it can grow almost anywhere and has sturdier, larger blooms. Its flowers range from blue to white or pink.
Another complication is that the Spanish bluebell hybridises with our native bluebell, and the hybrid is known as the Garden bluebell.
And then there is the Spanish invasion. The Spanish bluebell was first introduced into British gardens as an ornimental plant around 1680, so it seems a bit late to start worrying about it. It was favoured over the native bluebell because it can grow almost anywhere and has sturdier, larger blooms. Its flowers range from blue to white or pink.
Another complication is that the Spanish bluebell hybridises with our native bluebell, and the hybrid is known as the Garden bluebell.
Top right is the native bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta). The flowers droop to one side and it has narrow strap-like leaves. The other three photos are of Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica). They are much more upright, have broader leaves and can be blue, pink or white. Most of the bluebells in Keil's Den appear to be the native bluebell. However, there are some patches of the Spanish bluebell and possibly the hybrid. These are mainly near the entrance to the den. Along the disused railway track at Lower Largo and the Serpentine Walk, the bluebells appear to be mainly the Spanish variety.
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