IN the spring, many people take great delight in the beautiful display put on by many of the garden bulbs, such as daffodils, snowdrops, crocuses and hyacinths.

Plants that develop from bulbs use nutrients which they store in that bulb from the previous year's growth to get a head start in early spring.

These plants evolved this talent in order to grow rapidly and flower in woodland situations, where plants that live on the woodland floor only have a couple of months before the deciduous trees open up their leaves and starve them of the light which is vital for their growth.

This is of little consequence in garden situations, other than providing the gardener with a flush of colour early in the spring, but out in the wilds of the nature reserves this is a vital talent to many of the plants.

Probably the most well-known wild bulb is the bluebell, which can be seen in full glory out on the local nature reserves of Habberley Valley, Spennells Valley and Hurcott Woods, as well as many other places throughout the district.

Spennells has a wonderful display within the mature woodland along the banks of the Hoobrook stream, with Hurcott and Habberley woodlands gaining a fairytale feel as the blue carpet is slowly laid out before you.

Hidden also in Habberley and along many of the country roads throughout the district are the strong garlic-scented wild ramsons, with their tall, slender, delicate white flowers adding much beauty to the many shady places.

Another bulb found at Habberley is that of the small, but very beautiful, fritillary, the pinkish white-tinged flowers of which are a most wonderful sight.

These are just a few examples of very common, wild flowering bulbs, but there are many more to discover.

Part of the beauty of these plants is their wildness and pristine beauty which appears early in the spring, putting on a show for us all and, of course, driving away the dull, drab days of winter.