Meanwhile in the undergrowth

With my attention drawn up by the vast amount of blossoms one would almost forget to look down at those delicate little plants that are now in full bloom in the undergrowth.

Glechoma hederacea  (left) or Ground-ivy is related to Mint and not to Ivy. The flowers and fruit of the Woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) are small compared to the better known Garden strawberries, but the small fruits are very tasty and fragrant. The Hybrid bluebell (Hyacinthoides x massertiana) is a cross between the Common bluebell and the Spanish Bluebell and looks a bit like both parents.

Although a very low plant the very fragrant blooms of Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) make themselves known before one has seen them. In close-up the little white urn-like flowers (left) of this highly poisonous woodland plant are truly lovely. Another plant that loves a shady position in open woodland is the Forget-me-not (Myositis sylvatica) with its baby blue flowers. The marked leaves of the Italian arum (Arum italicum), aid the plant to distribute the low light on the forest floor to the chlorophyll in its leaves. The striking marbled leaves often appear in autumn to make the most of the period that the trees overhead have shed their leaves.