One of the first flowers of spring, wood anemones bloom like a galaxy of stars across the forest floor.
As a species it’s surprisingly slow to spread (six feet in a hundred years!), relying on the growth of its root structure rather than the spread of its seed. It is often a good indicator of ancient woodland.
Despite its penchant for wooded places, the wood anemone actually dislikes too much shade and will only open fully in bright sunshine. Its flowering time is thus well suited to the early part of the year, before the trees’ foliage grows too thick and light is blotted out.