Bluebell alert

A photo posted by Haroon Anwar (@haroonanwaruk) on

Another amazing shot by our favourite drone photographer Haz Anwar (whose work we have previously seen here and here). This time in Wanstead Park, with a vivid shot of the paths between the bluebells which have been much discussed on this site in the past week.

Wansteadium reader GB was among those concerned that in people’s keenness to take photos of the bluebells some are treading on the flowers or allowing children or pets to do so rather than sticking to the paths.

GB writes:

“I think it’s important to make visitors aware of exactly why they must not walk among the bluebells. It’s because they are bulb root plants whose bulbs are super delicate. It’s not just that the flowers one sees above ground are trampled, it’s more long lasting than that — the pressure of your weight on the soil compacts the soil and damages the delicate bulbs so that they will not grow again in the place they were trampled. Where you walk or sit, they won’t grow again. If enough people trample enough different spots in this wood, no more bluebells next year or after. You can actually kill off the whole lot this way.”

The Wanstead Bluebell Pro-Am photo competition continues though – but we won’t feature any which seem to involve people or animals standing among the flowers. Send your photos to info@wansteadium.com/