Spring flowers have been among the many wildlife beneficiaries of Britain’s weather this year. A hot July and August helped put memories of six successive poor summers behind us. But a cool spring also provided a long flowering season for spring flowers, according to the National Trust (NT).
Species such as snowdrops, primrose and bluebell flourished, while the rare pasque flowers took advantage of being able to bloom before the grass started to grow.
Several plants had a prosperous year as did grasses, which sprouted abundantly once more after a late beginning. Orchids also flowered effectively.
One of the best examples was at Plas Newydd in Anglesey where there was an incredible explosion of colour in the meadows.
Nature’s other winners in 2013 were warmth-loving insects, especially butterflies, moths, bees, crickets and grasshoppers, several of which fared exceptionally well. The year saw a late storm of berries, nuts and seeds.
Matthew Oates, the NT’s national specialist on nature and wildlife, said: “We were more than overdue a good summer, and eventually we got a real cracker, although it kicked in after the slowest of possible starts.”
