Sea pink and lichens (Caloplaca sp) at Silverdale, Lancs.

Usually in May, the tree canopies have closed over and most of the new wild flowers are found in the

open countryside.

This is not always the case. In 2013, for example, many of the early spring flowers were still flowering

and some plants, which were normally out at this time, had not appeared. That year we were

20 days behind normal. However, flowering soon caught up as the weather warmed up.