Donkey Field
The Donkey Field in the village of Uphill is a favourite of mine. It is a small field on the edge of a wood and is managed by the Woodland Trust. The snowdrops have already disappeared. The planted daffodils are going over. Bluebells have started to spread across the field, and a few Cowslips are appearing, later in the year there will be many more.
Donkey Field, Uphill
Donkey Field, Uphill
Wood pigeons love the Donkey Field
Spanish Bluebells
I’m not an expert, but some of the bluebells in the Donkey Field look like Spanish flowers.
Native bluebells have narrow leaves and deep blue flowers most of which hang from the same side of the steam. The Spanish plants have broad leaves and paler flowers that grow all around the stem.
The Spanish flowers are more aggressive and are spreading across the country, apparently after being sold by garden centres. The native flowers form viable hybrids with these invaders. These hybrids are becoming common, particularly in woods near towns and villages. Confusingly they have characters of both types of flowers.
As it is early in the season the flowers are not fully out. This makes it even harder to identify the type of flower. The pictures below show the contrast between the flowers in the Donkey Field and the native flowers in Park Wood near Wells.
Bluebells in the Donkey Field – Native, Spanish or Hybrid?
Native bluebells in Park Wood near Wells, Somerset (Photo March 16)
White Bells
I have read elsewhere on the internet that the white bluebells in the Donkey Field are also Spanish. This looked likely – they do show some Spanish characteristics…
The white flowers in the Donkey Field – Spanish?
In constrast, these white flowers are from Longwood on the Mendip Hills.
Native white flowers in Longwood (Photo April 11)
