Cowslips - A Quintessential English Springtime Plant for Your Garden

[@normancoutts]

Stars in any Spring garden. 👍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Couldn't agree more Norman, so good to see so many :)

[@CheshireCat6639]

Beautiful to see, ty for sharing Joel🎉 another roadside sea of yellow like lovely dandies🎉

[@lakshmik3563]

They are beautiful, Joel!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Lakshmi, they certainly are :) Best wishes, Joel

[@kathrynnorman2253]

The cowslips are just like sunshine's, so bright and stunning :)

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Great description - couldn't agree more Kathryn :)

[@kathrynnorman2253]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Aww thank you :)

[@flaviacosta486]

A natureza é um grande jardim..... Flávia

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Uma ótima descrição Flavia :) Gosto muito disso - cumprimentos, Joel

[@flaviacosta486]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Acredito que Deus nos deu um mundo perfeito, que infelizmente nós não cuidamos dele como era para cuidar... 😘 ✝️ 💋 Flávia

[@tiagosnoddy738]

Cow slipa are a beautiful flower

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

I think so too! I hope to see more and more as the years progress :)

[@Readingandgardening]

Thank you for this. Buying some very soon 👍🏻

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

You're very welcome Liz, we have them at www.wildyourgarden.com along with a vast array of many more wildflowers - best wishes, Joel

[@UkAmphibians]

Saw 100s of these and primroses alltogether the other day at the side of a road great work Joel 🐸💚🐸

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

What a nice thing to see on the way to work :) Hope you're having a good day, speak soon! Joel

[@mdsahir3156]

Wow peaceful place 🥰😍👍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

It is indeed - I hope to see many more and these are so easy to grow in a garden too :) Best wishes to you and yours, stay safe - Joel

[@mdsahir3156]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thanx for replying 😍🥰

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@mdsahir3156 You're very welcome, thank YOU for your support :)

[@mdsahir3156]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshtonU told me that I will come to India soon 🙄🤨🤔😀😀

[@EasyHikes4810]

Very pretty flowers and very useful information regarding their role for wildlife and pollinators. Great video, Joel!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you, so much :) I couldn't help but pull over and stop the truck to share them with everyone - best wishes, Joel

[@suzannebramble6564]

Added to my wish list of plants! Really interesting hearing about the history of the name too. Thanks for another inspirational video.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Suzanne, really glad about that - thank YOU for your unwavering support as well :) Best wishes, Joel

[@yvonnehall544]

Wow when i was a child born and grew up in island jamaica migrated to. New York Ilearnt a springtime song about cowslip bells that's where the insects hide..never forget and would even hum a few lines now and then. Never knew what was cowslip bells were.. thought they were like morning glory... I was about 10 yrs old..then.. im now 65 and just learn what are cowbells but always love to chase butterflies and bees and pick wild flowers as a child. Now im 65 and love gardening with a passion ...especially getting the insects in...really scared of the reptiles😊. Thanks for information can always.learn something from u. .

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

That was so lovely to read Yvonne :) Really enjoyed hearing about your childhood and so glad you're now aware of the cowslip bells - you're not alone in being a little scared of the reptiles, but I expect you've been told often that they're more scared of us ;) Thanks so much for your support and kind words, they mean a lot - best wishes to you and yours - Joel :)

[@yvonnehall544]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton them afraid of us so true 😊

[@MemasakDirumah]

a very impressive skill and to be proud of. This is a very useful learning, always success for you. hopefully what is expected can be done well. I hope you are always healthy and happy. greetings from Indonesia

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you, so much. You have always been there to support me, and I am very grateful for that - I wish you all the best too, stay safe and stay in touch - best wishes and greetings to you and Indonesia, Joel

[@beamy39]

I’m sure I’m not the only one, but this year seems to be an exceptional year for cowslips. They seem to be everywhere, including places where I’ve never seen them before and areas where they are already established appear to have increased exponentially this year.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

That's so good to hear, really it is :) I have noticed quite a few alongside motorways, hopefully due to considerate planting when making new roads etc - I just couldn't help but stop to share these before visiting a client and I did wonder how many people appreciated them that were driving or cycling past. Here's to many many more - best wishes, Joel

[@ruthfrankish3897]

There are loads at the moment along the M40, the only nice thing about driving along it :-)

[@beamy39]

@@ruthfrankish3897 similar thing for me, I have to queue up to get into my place of work and there’s a superb carpet of them, they keep me occupied along with the other wildflowers.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@Ruth Frankish - I've been along there recently and felt the same, I drive country-wide with work and have seen some wonderful places - I do hope this trend keeps going :)

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

So good to hear this @Sculpin_crusader, it really is :) What a wonderful distraction before work - best wishes, Joel

[@charliemum]

If you ever walk next to the river don in south shields there is a nature reserve that has thousands of cow slips they carpet the ground there are that many growing.

[@wildlifegardener-tracey6206]

A delicate flower that isn’t spoken about enough as a vital and beautiful early spring flower.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

You would certainly know this more than most, you have been doing "this" for so long and I am sure you can still teach me a lot - I can't wait until we meet up :)

[@alisonburgess345]

The roadsides have, sadly, become absolutely critical for the survival of many plants... Are you allowed to collect them and propagate them for distribution around the place? You could be like Joey in the US who raises and guerilla-plants many natives in vacant land - check him out "Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't". He's great value too.. Wonderful video Joel!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

I will have to check that out for sure! I wish I had the time for guerilla gardening, but I do understand how lucky I am to be doing this as a vocation and each job is creating more habitat for our creatures so desperately in need. So glad you enjoyed the video, shortly I will upload some slo-motion footage I was very lucky to be able to film in my garden, of my most favourite Spring butterflies, it should be uploaded shortly :) Best wishes to you, hope you are doing well - Joel

[@gardeninside1367]

Wow, mind blowing place! The flowers are really very beautiful to see!!🌼😍🎉

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

They truly are - our government is helping to raise awareness and now re-thinking how our roadsides are managed, there is no need for cutting grasses so short, particularly if they do not impose danger to driving but are cut because some people like neat and tidy - without thought for the nature that relies on it :) Best wishes, Joel

[@453421abcdefg12345]

Our are just going to seed now, time to start increasing them in our little woodland area, they always brighten up the hedgerow areas in spring, and the insects love them. Stay safe! Chris B.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Same with mine, I took this video a few weeks ago now but agree they're perfect for a woodland edge, so many insects rely on them after the winter slumber :) Best wishes to you both, Joel

[@zeez9053]

You should have your own tv show much better than Attenborough ! Great voice to get the message across

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Wow, that certainly is an accolade, one I'm very grateful for, Attenborough though... I hope some of it rubbed off when I had the chance of a lifetime to interview him, it's somewhere here on this channel :) I really appreciate your support, it makes all the difference and encourages me to keep going - best wishes to you and yours - Joel

[@zeez9053]

Wild Your Garden with Joel Ashton hi Thanks for your reply.i was brought up With Attenborough and really enjoyed his documentaries but but as with his voice grew boring over the years like Micheal Palins and Clive James on tv on off all things Newyears eve ........Every bleeding Year ❕

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

I'll be careful not to talk too much then ;) Seriously though, I am just glad the channel is helping others to do their bit, and it does seem that even TV has changed rather and a lot of gardening shows now tend to feature "wildlife" gardens, although not as much as I'd like - I've been making these habitats for around 16/17 years now and have seen the recent change and "fashion" for it, although that's not a complaint of course, I just hope it lasts! :) Best wishes - Joel

[@lizcolton9832]

Oh, I didn’t know you had a shop! Off for a look👀😊

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi Liz - sorry I really should "plug"(!) it more ;) www.wildyourgarden.com - it's a new site so may take some searching without the actual address - we're uploading a vast array of pond plants too now they're waking and ready to do what they do best :) Thank you, and best wishes - Joel

[@benhewlett1695]

Have you seen what Highways England are up to with their road verges? I have been trying to get as many flowers in the landscape as possible! If you google highways england low nutrient verges you will find it. Hopefully lots of cowslips on roadsides soon!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

I remember reading about it around Christmas time last year I think Ben, really promising and I think it all started with huge success in Dorset or down south at least :) It's so encouraging to see it happening, we can all do our bit and the more people that pass and take note of these wonderful verges and and roadsides left for wildflowers the better, hopefully it will encourage them to do their bit too :) Best wishes, Joel

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hang on a MINUTE Ben! I just found the article in the Guardian that I read at the end of last year! You are the Ben who has been advising Natural England! We must talk more... if you get a chance please do send an email to me at [e-mail] - I'd be so very grateful! Best wishes, Joel

[@markhunter2244]

That quite a depressing statistic that we have lost 97% of wild flower meadows, but hopefully things are starting to change for the better with people such as yourself encouraging everyone to do their bit to improve the habitat for wildlife

[@beamy39]

I watched a plantlife webinar earlier today and they gave a scale of how large the area that has been lost; it covered wales. That astonished me.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Absolutely Mark, a terrible loss and a huge percentage, it's a wonder there are any left at all - although I am confident that people making mini meadows etc will help make up for the losses, so much habitat destroyed over the years, through lack of education and progress of course but we can help change that :)

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@ Crusader - I can never quite get my head around it, I'm just thankful for people like Plantlife and the work that they do, they are such an important charity :) Best wishes, Joel

[@beamy39]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Joel I have turned my front garden into a small wildflower meadow. The grass is very fine and hardly grew when I’d forget to mow it. I rotivated and scarified the surface to remove all the thatch and produce lots of bare earth, I’m genuinely excited to see how it develops as I scattered a lot of seed last autumn and it is covered in seedlings and some quite developed plants; the border surrounding it exploded with coltsfoot this year.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@beamy39 Wow, so good to read this! Meadows always work best from seed and I am so happy for you in that you are seeing the rewards already. Do keep an eye on that Coltsfoot, it can be a bit of a thug and bully a lot of the more delicate flowers but it seems like you have it all under control, can't wait to hear what develops and what you discover - so many creatures will be grateful for your efforts :)

[@klcpca]

It looks like this might grow in my area with proper care... hummmmmm...... they sure are beautiful!!! Is anyone from the USA growing these????

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hello you! :) Just had a quick google for you, two good things...1) I believe Missouri Botanical Garden may know where you can buy them and 2) as I know you like some extra info...In 1863 there was a US Navy steamship called "The USS Cowslip" - there you go :) Best wishes as always - Joel

[@klcpca]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton TY!!! Love the trivia tidbit!! She was a busy little ship!! I did find some seeds on Etsy and even some plants... definitely saved the store for the future!! 😊

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@klcpca Brilliant :) So good to hear, I want to see some Spring photos next year ;) Best wishes, as always - Joel

[@micksmusicchannel]

Beautiful wild flowers. Shame they in decline. One of my favourites along with bluebells

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Absolutely! I hope to see verges full of them, it does make you wonder who stopped being impressed and how many years ago it was that people thought "nah, we can do without these... just mow it and mow it..." so unnecessary and it saves SO much money to leave verges like this - let's hope this trend continues and we see more and more. Bluebells... it wouldn't be England without them... :) Best wishes, Joel

[@micksmusicchannel]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton couldn't have said it any better myself Joel. Just the other week I was in woodland and it was covered in bluebells. Magical.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@micksmusicchannel Such beautiful breathing spaces, gives you time to think and appreciate it all doesn't it :) Keep immersing yourself, it really is good for the soul...