Is it illegal to dig up bluebells in my garden?
Summer is here and you might be thinking about sprucing up your garden.
You may have noticed a patch of bluebells in your garden but not know what to do with them. Here’s all the info.
Is it illegal to dig up bluebells in my garden?
It is illegal to dig up bluebells in your garden, or anywhere.
It’s against the law to intentionally pick, uproot or destroy bluebells.
Bluebells have soft leaves that are particularly sensitive to being trodden on.
Once the leaves are damaged, they are then unable to absorb the sun and die.
The National Trust have recommended refraining from walking through patches of bluebells as they are so easily damaged.
Sections of the flowers can then die which means you are more likely to see small sections rather than a carpet of bluebells.
The bulbs of the flowers are also impacted by the weight of people walking over them, which results in uneven growing.
Are bluebells a protected species in the UK?
Bluebells are a protected species in the UK.
They are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and if you dig up a wild bluebell you can be heavily fined.
More than half the world’s populations of bluebells grow in the UK.
Here are some ways you can protect bluebells:
- Never stand on or walk through patches of bluebells
- If there’s a marked route to follow, always stay on the path
- Never pick bluebells
The National Trust have put their own rules in place to try and protect the flowers.
A spokesperson said: “In the most popular bluebell areas we care for, we’ve taken decisive measures to control the number of visitors and the flow of people as they walk along the route.
“Establishing clearly marked paths for visitors to walk along means that we can all enjoy the bluebells now, while still preserving the flowers for future generations.”
Can I be fined for digging up bluebells in my garden?
Yes, you can land yourself with a fine if you are found to have dug up or damaged bluebells.
You could be fined up to £5,000 if you are found to have dug up a patch of the wild bluebells.
One of the reasons bluebells are protected is due to how long the plants take to establish.
They can take five to seven years from seed to bloom.
How to deadhead different plants
Deadheading - removing dead or fading flowers from plants - is an important garden job in July. It is done to keep plants looking attractive and encourage more blooms.
The experts at the Royal Horticultural Society have shared exactly how you can deadhead certain plants this July for a beautiful garden all summer long…
Bedding plants
Tender plants growing in beds, containers and hanging baskets respond well to deadheading.
“The faded blooms of argyranthemums, heliotrope, pansies, polyanthus and petunias can be removed with finger and thumb, pinching off the flower and its stalk,” the RHS says.
Pelargoniums
The RHS recommends pinching off individual flowers and then use secateurs to remove whole clusters and the long flower stalk down to just above where it joins the main stem.
“Alternatively, grab hold of the flower stalk and pull downwards away from the main stem – the stalk should snap off cleanly,” the experts added.
Roses
Deadheading roses is as simple as gently snapping the faded flowers off and breaking the stalk just below the head.
“This method encourages more blooms more quickly compared to cutting with secateurs,” the experts said.
Shrubs
“The height of a shrub may make deadheading impractical, but examples of shrubs that benefit from deadheading are rhododendrons (and azaleas), camellias, lilacs (Syringa) and tree peonies,” the RHS empathised.
Use finger and thumb to pick or snap off each dead head where it joins the stem, or secateurs to cut just below the flower head – but take care to avoid damaging the new growth buds immediately below the flower
Climbers
“Deadhead climbers where practical, particularly Eccremocarpus as it rapidly produces seed pods,” the experts advised.
“Most have tough stems, so use secateurs to cut near the base of each flower stalk.”