Nature Diary: Spring wildflowers

After the cold snap last week, many people will be keen to get out for a long walk this weekend.

The expansive woodlands of country house estates are great places to spot carpet of bluebells, primroses, cowslips and other wildflowers. Many of these spring flowers have stored up their energy supplies in their bulbs over the winter and bring rich colour and gentle scents to the air once the weather gets a little warmer.

They come into bloom just before the leaves fully open out on the trees above so they can make the best use of the sunlight that reaches the ground.

The National Biodiversity Data Centre records the locations of wildflowers across the country and is always keen to hear from citizen scientists in its efforts to continue their conservation into the future. biodiversityireland.ie/projects