Bluebells are usually associated with woodlands, and a carpet of blue under a shady tree canopy easily springs to mind. But they seem to really like the exposed conditions of the Fylde Coast too!
Bluebells
In the months of Spring, all around this coastline, you’ll spot patches of blue in hedgerows and verges.
Drive along the coast road at St Annes seafront and keep your eyes out along the verge and dunes that run alongside the road. You’ll see literally hundreds of bluebells all along the hedgerow. They’re near Fairhaven Lake and abundant at the fallow grassland north of the pier (above photo). And lots of them grow in St Annes sand dunes as you approach Squires Gate.
See them in grass verges at Fleetwood, and on the exposed seafront at the cliffs at Bispham, plus other spots all along the Fylde Coast.
Why do they grow well at the coast?
A bit of research reveals that the bluebell has contractile roots. They pull the bulb down into the ground that it grows in, to search for moisture. No doubt that helps it to thrive in the free draining, soft sandy soil of the dunes. They are also able to spread easily through runners, in addition to propagating quite easily by seeding freely.
Although the British bluebell is associated with the acidic soils of deciduous forests, they’re also quite at home in the alkaline environment of the coast. The further west that you go they become a common sight, as we’ve discovered at St Annes and along the Fylde Coast. As we’ve already said, they even grow on cliff tops at Bispham!
Bluebell Facts – Did you know…?
Bluebells create a wide range of chemicals with potential medicinal properties.
They contain at least 15 biologically active compounds that may provide them with protection against insects and animals. Some of these are similar to compounds tested for use in combating HIV and cancer.
The bulbs of bluebells are used in folk medicine as a diuretic or styptic, and the sap can be used as a glue.
English or Spanish? The native British bluebell can hybridise with the stronger and more virulent Spanish bluebell.
Bluebells are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 and it’s an offence to remove them from the wild. No doubt that’s also contributed to their success as their numbers go unchecked.
So be quick and keep your eye out for these lovely little blue heads, nodding in the breeze and welcoming in Spring!
Good Garden Plants
Here at Visit Fylde Coast we can attest to the fact that bluebells also make good garden plants too. Buy your bulbs at the garden centre or as potted plants, then watch them thrive and multiply!
Are you planting a seafront garden? It’s always a good idea to look and see what plants thrive in the wild and exposed conditions of the seafront and mimic those when gardening by the sea.
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