Blossom A little flower guide for little people Written and illustrated by Leona Norris
Text © Leona Norris • Illustrations © Leona Norris • The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted • This book has been typeset in Georgia • Printed in Bath • All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping and recording without prior written permission from the publisher • British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data: a catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library • ISBN 978-1-2345-6789-0 • www.bathspa.ac.uk
Blossom A little flower guide for little people by
Leona Norris
Daffodil Daffodils bloom in spring and grow from bulbs that look a lot like onions. Colour: Yellow
The main part of the flower is called a ‘Trumpet’.
Found: Woodland, meadow or your back garden. They need to be planted in the autumn for them to appear in spring.
Fun Fact: It is the national flower of Wales.
Buttercup Colour: Yellow Found: Damp and grassy fields A buttercup’s flowers appear in spring, when the rain showers over them. The yellow petals grow in a cup shape, which is why they are called Butter ‘cups’ The petals shimmer in the spring sun. Fun fact: People believe that if you hold a buttercup under your chin and it shines your skin, it means you love butter.
Forget-me-not Colour: Sky blue with a splash of mustard yellow Found: Woodland, hedgerows and your back garden There are five, flat petals on each Forget-me-not. They are very small and can grow in the sunshine but sometimes like shade too. Fun Fact: Forget-me-nots have a sweet smell, but this can only be smelt at night, in the day time they don’t smell at all!
Bluebell Colour: Blue/Purple Found: Mainly in woodland, but can be found along hedgerows or in your back garden.
They are sweetly scented and droop to one side. Bluebells spend most of their time as bulbs underground, but when spring comes, these vibrant flowers bloom.
Fun Fact: They are named ‘bluebells’ because of their colour and the main part of the flower is shaped like a bell.
Poppy Colour: Deep Red Found: Meadows The petals are big, thin and flat. They appear from spring and can last until autumn. Poppies symbolise the rememberence of the First World War. By planting a poppy or wearing a badge, we remember the soldiers that fought in war. Fun Fact: Poppies are very tall flowers; some species can grow up to 4 feet tall!
Foxglove Colour: Pink/Red/Purple Found: Woodland, meadows and sea cliffs. Foxgloves grow very tall and their petals form a tube shape. Inside the tube petal there are dark purple spots and hairs. They bloom from June to Septemeber and are full of nectar for Bumble Bees to enjoy! Fun Fact: They are called foxgloves because of the shape of the flower. They look as if they are gloves for fingers, or perhaps the paws of foxes.
Daisy Colour: White petals and a yellow centre. Found: Parks, meadows or your back garden. They grow in the summer amongst rich green grass. They are very small flowers but you may be able to spot a bigger and taller version called a ‘Moon Daisy’. You can make daisy chains by making a small hole in one of the stems and slotting another into it. These chains can be worn as necklaces, crowns or bracelets. Fun Fact: Daises grow everywhere in the world except for Antarctica.
Snowdrop Colour: Milk white Found: Woodland and hedgerows Snowdrops like moist soil to grow in which is why you can often spot them by a stream or river. They are one of the first flowers of the year to be seen, blooming from January to March, which is the coldest part of the year. The petals are shaped like a bell and they have a very sweet smell. Fun Fact: Unlike most other flowers, Snowdrops can grow happily in the freezing cold snow.
Do you know Daffodils from Buttercups? Snowdrops from Bluebells? This little guide will help you find everyday flowers that can be seen all around the countryside. Big and small, tall and short, all sorts of flowers are out there waiting to be found.