In spring, a variety of natural signs and living things can be found, reflecting the season of renewal and growth: Flora:
- Early blooming flowers such as snowdrops, daffodils, primroses, wild garlic, and bluebells begin to appear in woodlands, parks, and gardens
- Spring flowers include edible and medicinal plants like dandelions, chickweed, miner’s lettuce, wild violets, clover, garlic mustard, yarrow, and cleavers
- Trees start to unfurl leaves and produce catkins, their unusual flowers
- Fiddlehead ferns, the curled young fern leaves, are available for a short period
Fauna:
- Birds such as red-winged blackbirds and swallows arrive and become active, often seen nesting or flying
- Bumblebee queens emerge from hibernation to forage on spring flowers
- Amphibians like frogs and toads awaken from hibernation, and frogspawn appears in ponds, signaling breeding activity
- Insects become active, including buzzing bees and butterflies
Other Natural Signs:
- The scent of wild garlic in forests is notable in spring
- The presence of "boxing" hares in fields is a unique behavioral sign of spring
Edible and Forageable Items:
- Fresh salad greens, shoots, and wild mushrooms such as morels, oyster mushrooms, and king bolete (porcini) mushrooms can be foraged in spring
Overall, spring is characterized by blossoming plants, returning and active wildlife, and opportunities for foraging fresh wild foods
