The arrival of Daffodils (Lus an Chromchinn) in late winter might give them the title of the floral guardians that take us into spring. The tall, slender, pointed green leaves appear first before their glorious vibrant yellow heads burst into life. Such a shock of colour is so welcome after a muted winter landscape palette. While there is still debate on whether we have any truly ‘native’ Irish daffodils, the Irish name has a lovely meaning – ‘plant with the bent/bowed head’.

In tandem with the Daffodil, Snowdrops also appear in late winter to accompany us into spring. Plúirín Sneachta translates to ‘little flower of the snow’, and they can often be found peeping their brave flowers above a layer of frost or snow. On a grassy green carpet, these crisp white flowers really stand out – their three delicate outer petals bravely dancing on the air of a cold early morning breeze.

‘There is a flower, the Lesser Celandine, That shrinks, like many more, from cold and rain; And, the first moment that the sun may shine, Bright as the sun himself, ‘tis out again!’

This extract from ‘The Lesser Celandine’ by William Wordsworth perfectly describes how the flowers of the Lesser Celandine close tight in poor weather but stretch open when the sun appears. Their Irish name, Grán Arcáin or ‘piglet’s grain’, relates to the small grain like bulbs on their roots. The flower is also known as ‘pilewort’ or ‘figwort’ as it was once used as a remedy for piles/haemorrhoids, which were also once called figs. A relative of the Buttercup (Fearbán) – which appear later in the year - their golden cups seem to glow in the spring sunshine.

Another early flower to shine like the sun is the radiant Colt’s Foot (Sponc). At first glance, it may look like a Dandelion (Caisearbhán), but on closer inspection they are quite different. The colt’s foot leaf is large, and heart shaped, and they may form clusters on disturbed ground or hedgerows. The pink-red stems have scale like structures and a ‘u-shape’ where the stem meets the leaf is believed to look like a colt’s foot. The flower is a globe of countless thin, yellow, elongated petals which are like rays of sunshine. These flowers are short-lived, and before some later spring flowers have even emerged, they transform into ‘clocks’ of delicate seeds which embark on airborne journeys to new grounds.

The delicate purple flower of the Common Dog-violet (Fanaigse) begins to appear in April in our hedgerows, verges and woodlands. Easily confused with the Early Dog-violet (Sailchuach Luath), the common dog-violet has a white spur at the rear of the flower while the early dog-violet has a purple spur. The common dog-violet is a very important plant in the life cycle of Fritillary Butterflies (Fritileán) which lay their eggs on them.

One of my personal favourites, it is often the smell of Wild Garlic (or Ramsons) that is the first of our senses to recognise the presence of this plant. A member of the Allium family – which includes garlic, onions, shallots, leeks and many more edibles – Ramsons (Creamh) can form dense mats of their short green leaves in early spring before their white star-like flowers appear in April/May. Ramsons can be used in a variety of culinary delights such as pesto, soup or as a garnish. The Three-cornered Leek (Glaschrreamh) is a member of the same family and sometimes also referred to as ‘wild garlic’. Standing taller, similar to a bluebell, the white bell flowers form in bowing clusters at the tip of the stem.

The Irish name for the Wood Anemone is Lus na Gaoithe – plant of the wind. Watch the white flowers dancing on the end of their long stems in the spring breeze and you’ll see how they got that name. The white ‘petals’ are actually the sepals, the part of a flower that is often green and encases the petals. A hint of pink can sometimes be seen on some wood anemone. A member of the same family as lesser celandine and buttercups, they spread via underground roots in areas such as woodland floors, before the leaves of trees fill out and reduce the sunlight reaching these habitats.

There are few sights quite like that of the blossoms of a Blackthorn (Draighean) against a clear blue sky. The white blossoms on black branches appear in spring – before the leaves - and become a haven for a host of pollinators. The blackthorn wood is famously used for walking sticks and the fruit, the sloe berry, is used in various recipes including sloe gin. Folklore around the species includes the stories of the Lunantisidhe (moon fairies) which inhabit the trees, only departing them during a full moon. The Celtic Goddess of Winter, Cailleach, was said to carry a blackthorn stick and the thorns were part of many a witch’s curse.

It might be a plant that is overlooked, but Irish Spurge is a fascinating spring character that is absent in many parts of Ireland. The south-west, including Iveragh, is a stronghold for this species. What we may see as familiar short bursts of green-lime plants on our woodland walks, visitors from other areas may find them rare. Known as ‘Bainne Caoin’ in Irish, the ‘smooth milk’ translation likely refers to the milky latex produced when the plant is broken down. This was used to ‘purge’ the body, and a probable origin of the name ‘spurge’, although this is not recommended due to toxicity of the sap.

It’s happened us all at some point – the nettle sting! Love them or hate them, these plants are a vital part of our ecosystems. The Common Nettle (Neantóg) begins to appear in March. These young nettles make delicious soups and teas but they serve a far more important role to our wildlife. A raft of insects use the nettle as a home for their Caterpillars (Bolb) – Butterflies (Féileacán) such as Peacock (Péacóg), Small Tortoiseshell (Ruán Beag) and Red Admiral (Aimiréal Dearg) all rely on nettles. Stands of nettles are being planted and preserved in several parts of Ireland to encourage the recovery of one of our rarest and iconic of birds – the Corncrake (Traonach). Once found on Iveragh, the ‘crexing’ call has sadly fallen silent in many parts of Ireland. However, the preservation of mixed wild meadows and nettles provides the habitat these birds need to hopefully make their return.

What a sight to behold is the endless blanket of a Bluebell (Coinnle Corra) rich woodland. They appear in small clusters throughout April, but by May they have assembled in their masses. Often accompanied by wild garlic, these scenes can be made even more serene when lit by shafts of light streaming through the greening spring woodland canopy. Like many of our spring flowers, bluebells over-winter as bulbs hidden beneath the surface. It is a wonder of nature that something which can seem so barren for months can suddenly surround us with an eruption of such beauty.

Just as the Snowdrops brought us from winter into spring, Orchids carry us from spring into summer. Some are more common while others are extremely rare. Some might occur in town greens while others may only occur in specialist habitats such as bogs or dunes. There are a number of Irish names for orchids. A common name is ‘Magairlín’, however, ‘Nuacht Bhallach’ (spotted news) and ‘Na Cicíní’ (the chicks) are names for Common Spotted-orchid and Heath Spotted-orchid respectively. To help protect these delicate and rare plants, please look and don’t touch. Never pick them and please report sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre here.