Skip To Main Content

  • Stay
    • Accessible Accommodation
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Camping
    • Caravans, Campervans & Holiday Parks
    • Glamping, Lodges & Cabins
    • Holiday Cottages
    • Hostels & Bunkhouses
    • Hotels
    • Pubs & Inns
    • Self-Catering
      • Serviced Apartments
    • Themed Accommodation
      • Accommodation with Hot Tub
      • Accommodation with Swimming Pool
      • Eco Friendly Accommodation
      • Cycle Friendly Accommodation
      • Family Friendly Accommodation
      • Group Friendly Accommodation
      • Hen & Stag Accommodation
      • Dog Friendly Accommodation
      • Restaurants with Rooms
      • Stay on a Farm
  • What's On
    • Submit Your Event
  • Things To Do
    • Activities
      • Adventure & Extreme
      • Arts & Crafts
      • Canoeing, Kayaking & Watersports
      • Climbing
      • Cycling & Mountain Biking
      • Golf
      • Food & Drink Experiences
      • Nature & Wildlife Experiences
      • Shooting & Archery
      • Walking & Hiking
    • Attractions
      • Beauty Spots & Visitor Sites
      • Castles & Ruins
      • Cinema & Theatre
      • History & Heritage
      • Museums & Galleries
      • Nature & Wildlife Attractions
    • Experiences
    • Walking
      • 12 Easy Walks
      • Guided Tours
      • The Wye Valley Walk
      • Good with the Dog
      • The Offa's Dyke Path
      • Symonds Yat Rock Walks
      • The Wye Valley Greenway
      • Accessible Walks
      • Other Walking Routes & Trails
    • Cycling
      • Cyclists Welcome
      • Bike Hire
      • Cycle Trails
      • Family Cycling
      • Guided Rides
      • Mountain Biking and Downhill
    • Dog Friendly
    • Family Friendly
      • Young Families
      • With Tweens & Teens
    • Group Friendly
    • Rainy Days
    • Tours & Trails
      • Guided Tours
      • Walking Tours & Trails
      • Cycling Tours & Trails
      • On the Water
      • Driving Routes
      • Film & TV Trail
      • Myths & Legends Trail
      • Market Towns Trail
      • Heritage Trails
      • 'Feel the Love' Romantic Trail
    • Shopping
      • Local Food & Drink
      • Farm Shops & Delis
      • Christmas Gift Guide
      • Towns & Villages
      • Online Gift Guide
    • Wellbeing & Spa
  • Food & Drink
    • Afternoon Tea
    • Cafes & Tea Rooms
    • Dog Friendly Places to Eat
    • Farm Shops & Delis
      • Shops Offering Home Delivery
    • Family Friendly Places to Eat
    • Local Produce
    • Picnic Sites
    • Food & Drink Experiences
    • Private Chefs & Group Catering
    • Pubs
      • Beer Gardens
    • Restaurants
    • Vegetarian & Vegan
  • Explore
    • Getting Here
    • Getting Around
    • Maps & Guides
      • Download Our Visitor Guide
    • Nature & Wildlife
      • Wildlife
      • Boar
      • Birds
      • Deer
      • Flora
      • Bluebells
      • Daffodils
      • Seasonal Guides
      • Severn Bore
      • Trees
    • History & Heritage
      • Forest of Dean
      • Industrial Revolution
      • Freemining
      • The Wye Tour
      • The Fascinating Facts of the Dean Wye
      • Hidden Heritage
      • Agincourt
      • Myths and Legends
    • Surrounding Areas
      • Brecon Beacons
      • Cheltenham
      • The Cotswolds
      • Gloucester
    • Famous People
      • Charles Rolls
      • David and Robert Mushet
      • The Man of Ross
    • Film & TV
      • Films
      • Harry Potter
      • Star Wars
      • King Arthur
      • TV Programmes
      • Doctor Who
      • Merlin
      • Atlantis
      • Sex Education
      • Film & TV Filming Locations
    • Forestry England in the Forest of Dean
      • Membership
      • A working forest
      • A great day out
      • Wildlife
    • Tourist Information Centres
    • Towns & Villages
      • Forest of Dean
      • Wye Valley
      • Monmouthshire
      • Herefordshire
      • Coleford
      • Newent
      • Cinderford
      • Lydney
      • Usk
      • Ross-on-Wye
  • Inspiration
    • Cyclists Welcome
    • Find Your Freedom
    • Adventure Breaks
    • Foodie Breaks
      • Abergavenny Excellence
      • Beer and Boutique
      • Rural Monmouthshire
      • Severn Valley Touring
      • The Heart of the Dean
      • Tintern Treats
      • Wye Valley Perfection
    • Escape the Everyday
      • Escape the Everyday at Home
    • Family Holidays
    • Rainy Day Ideas
    • Dark Skies
    • Dog Friendly Holidays
    • My Microgap
    • Seasonal Guides
      • Autumn: Experience the Rich Colours
      • Spring
      • Winter: Cosy Escapes and Seasonal Delights
    • Romantic Breaks
    • Viewpoints & Sights
    • Competitions
  • Offers
    • Competitions
  • Weddings
    • Wedding Venues
    • Hen and Stag Activities
    • Caterers and Private Chefs
    • Engagement and Honeymoon Breaks
    • Wedding Services
    • Planning your Wedding
  • Blog
  • Forest of Dean and Wye Valley
  • Print Logo
  • Stay
  • Things To Do
  • Experiences
  • Food & Drink
  • Cymraeg
  • Blog

My Planner

Currently nothing planned yet in your itinerary. Have a browse through the site and begin to add things you're interested in.

List All My Saved Itineraries

Menu
  • Stay
    • Accessible Accommodation
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Camping
    • Caravans, Campervans & Holiday Parks
    • Glamping, Lodges & Cabins
    • Holiday Cottages
    • Hostels & Bunkhouses
    • Hotels
    • Pubs & Inns
    • Self-Catering
      • Serviced Apartments
    • Themed Accommodation
      • Accommodation with Hot Tub
      • Accommodation with Swimming Pool
      • Eco Friendly Accommodation
      • Cycle Friendly Accommodation
      • Family Friendly Accommodation
      • Group Friendly Accommodation
      • Hen & Stag Accommodation
      • Dog Friendly Accommodation
      • Restaurants with Rooms
      • Stay on a Farm
  • What's On
    • Submit Your Event
  • Things To Do
    • Activities
      • Adventure & Extreme
      • Arts & Crafts
      • Canoeing, Kayaking & Watersports
      • Climbing
      • Cycling & Mountain Biking
      • Golf
      • Food & Drink Experiences
      • Nature & Wildlife Experiences
      • Shooting & Archery
      • Walking & Hiking
    • Attractions
      • Beauty Spots & Visitor Sites
      • Castles & Ruins
      • Cinema & Theatre
      • History & Heritage
      • Museums & Galleries
      • Nature & Wildlife Attractions
    • Experiences
    • Walking
      • 12 Easy Walks
      • Guided Tours
      • The Wye Valley Walk
      • Good with the Dog
      • The Offa's Dyke Path
      • Symonds Yat Rock Walks
      • The Wye Valley Greenway
      • Accessible Walks
      • Other Walking Routes & Trails
    • Cycling
      • Cyclists Welcome
      • Bike Hire
      • Cycle Trails
      • Family Cycling
      • Guided Rides
      • Mountain Biking and Downhill
    • Dog Friendly
    • Family Friendly
      • Young Families
      • With Tweens & Teens
    • Group Friendly
    • Rainy Days
    • Tours & Trails
      • Guided Tours
      • Walking Tours & Trails
      • Cycling Tours & Trails
      • On the Water
      • Driving Routes
      • Film & TV Trail
      • Myths & Legends Trail
      • Market Towns Trail
      • Heritage Trails
      • 'Feel the Love' Romantic Trail
    • Shopping
      • Local Food & Drink
      • Farm Shops & Delis
      • Christmas Gift Guide
      • Towns & Villages
      • Online Gift Guide
    • Wellbeing & Spa
  • Food & Drink
    • Afternoon Tea
    • Cafes & Tea Rooms
    • Dog Friendly Places to Eat
    • Farm Shops & Delis
      • Shops Offering Home Delivery
    • Family Friendly Places to Eat
    • Local Produce
    • Picnic Sites
    • Food & Drink Experiences
    • Private Chefs & Group Catering
    • Pubs
      • Beer Gardens
    • Restaurants
    • Vegetarian & Vegan
  • Explore
    • Getting Here
    • Getting Around
    • Maps & Guides
      • Download Our Visitor Guide
    • Nature & Wildlife
      • Wildlife
      • Boar
      • Birds
      • Deer
      • Flora
      • Bluebells
      • Daffodils
      • Seasonal Guides
      • Severn Bore
      • Trees
    • History & Heritage
      • Forest of Dean
      • Industrial Revolution
      • Freemining
      • The Wye Tour
      • The Fascinating Facts of the Dean Wye
      • Hidden Heritage
      • Agincourt
      • Myths and Legends
    • Surrounding Areas
      • Brecon Beacons
      • Cheltenham
      • The Cotswolds
      • Gloucester
    • Famous People
      • Charles Rolls
      • David and Robert Mushet
      • The Man of Ross
    • Film & TV
      • Films
      • Harry Potter
      • Star Wars
      • King Arthur
      • TV Programmes
      • Doctor Who
      • Merlin
      • Atlantis
      • Sex Education
      • Film & TV Filming Locations
    • Forestry England in the Forest of Dean
      • Membership
      • A working forest
      • A great day out
      • Wildlife
    • Tourist Information Centres
    • Towns & Villages
      • Forest of Dean
      • Wye Valley
      • Monmouthshire
      • Herefordshire
      • Coleford
      • Newent
      • Cinderford
      • Lydney
      • Usk
      • Ross-on-Wye
  • Inspiration
    • Cyclists Welcome
    • Find Your Freedom
    • Adventure Breaks
    • Foodie Breaks
      • Abergavenny Excellence
      • Beer and Boutique
      • Rural Monmouthshire
      • Severn Valley Touring
      • The Heart of the Dean
      • Tintern Treats
      • Wye Valley Perfection
    • Escape the Everyday
      • Escape the Everyday at Home
    • Family Holidays
    • Rainy Day Ideas
    • Dark Skies
    • Dog Friendly Holidays
    • My Microgap
    • Seasonal Guides
      • Autumn: Experience the Rich Colours
      • Spring
      • Winter: Cosy Escapes and Seasonal Delights
    • Romantic Breaks
    • Viewpoints & Sights
    • Competitions
  • Offers
    • Competitions
  • Weddings
    • Wedding Venues
    • Hen and Stag Activities
    • Caterers and Private Chefs
    • Engagement and Honeymoon Breaks
    • Wedding Services
    • Planning your Wedding
  • Blog
  1. Foxgloves Spring in the Forest of Dean
  2. Bluebells in the Forest of Dean
  3. Daffodils Dean Wye Spring

You are here: Explore > Nature & Wildlife > Flora

Flora

The underlying geology of the Forest of Dean is limestone and sandstone and has resulted in a rich and varied flora. 

The Forest is home to many wild flowers. From mid-winter the snowdrops begin to show covering the forest floor with a blanket of white. There is wood anemone, celandine, dogs mercury, primroses, crocuses and violets which bloom before the overhead foliage thickens in the spring. The steeper slopes of the Wye Valley often have herb paris, sanicle, sweet woodruff and yellow archangel.

There are wild daffodils which bring a shot of bright yellow welcoming spring. The pungent wild garlic is also seen covering the forest floor in April and May.

We have one of the best displays of wild bluebells in the world. This iconic spring flower grows in ancient deciduous woodlands of which we have plenty and carpets the forest floor during the spring. Find out more and some of the best locations in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley to see them here.

Foxgloves are bright pinky-purple tubular flowers which grow across the Forest of Dean in June and bring a vibrancy to the rich greens of the trees and ferns. The bees absolutely love them and disappear into their trumpets for a nectar feast. The foxglove is an iconic symbol of British spring and is widespread in our ancient forest. It has many names too including dead man’s bells, fairy's cap, fairy's finger, lady’s thimble, lion’s mouth, throatwort, witch's bells or thimbles and in Welsh it is maneg ellyllon or the fairy's glove. In the Forest of Dean they are known as snompers, but no-one can say where the name came from. This is also a poisonous plant, with digitalis poisoning featuring in many murder mysteries such as Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Homes series and several Agatha Christie novels.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Forest of Dean & Wye Valley (@visitdeanwye)

The Forest of Dean is a haven for many different types of fungi and there are foraging trips from many providers teaching you about the fungi which can be picked and eaten. Puzzlewood is also an ideal location to see many different varieties.

Ferns are most abundant in damp and shady areas and the following are just a small sample which can be found within the Forest of Dean; male, lady, broad buckler, narrow buckler, hard and soft shield, hard fern, harts tongue, various spleenworts and polypody.
 

Loading..

Find Out More:

Find Your Freedom

  1. Bluebells
    Bluebells
    The Forest of Dean and Wye Valley is home to some of the most spectacular shows of bluebells in the country and visitors eagerly await their return each year and the pleasure of seeing the stunning carpets of bluebells that can be found deep in the woods or even viewed from the road while driving. Here are our best places to see bluebells in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley.
  2. Daffodils
    Daffodils
    The area around Dymock, on the Gloucestershire and Herefordshire borders, is famed for its wild daffodils that can be seen each year around the end of March. Once a common sight throughout Gloucesteshire, and its county flower, these small blooms are now found mainly in the "golden triangle".
  3. Trees
    Trees
    There are over 20 million trees in the Forest of Dean alone with a wide range of both deciduous and evergreen trees. Predominant is oak, both pedunculate and sessile. Beech is common and sweet chestnut has grown here for many centuries, as well as ash, birch and holly. Conifers include some Weymouth pine from 1781, Norway spruce, Douglas fir and larch.
E-newsletter Icon
Sign up for our e-newsletter
Be the first to hear about our exciting events, offers, inspiration and competitions by signing up.
MORE INFO
logo
Join Us
Complete our application form and showcase your business on our website.
JOIN NOW
  • Contact Us
  • Cymraeg
  • Media and PR
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Travel Trade
  • Video Credits
  • Weddings
  • Meeting Venues
  • Partnership
  • Who We Are
  • Join Us
  • Submit Event
  • Partners' Area
  • Business Services
  • E-newsletter Sign Up
  • Download Our Visitor Guide
  • Member Login

Connect and share your #DeanWye experiences with us @VISITDEANWYE

©Visit Dean Wye 2023. All Rights Reserved.
*Visit Dean Wye is the trading name of Forest of Dean & Wye Valley Tourism Limited.

Made by Simpleview Logo

Don't Miss

  • Ed Drewitt Wildlife Safari group

    Find Your Freedom in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley

  • Beechenhurst Women's Tour Cyclists Welcome

    Cyclists Welcome