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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU--bluebell picking

91 replies

Abra1d · 04/05/2012 18:01

OK, I know it's not actually illegal to pick bluebells in England, but AIBU to think that if you are at a National Trust beauty spot and you allow your children to pick large bunches of bluebells (four or five children picking) you are not really being very considerate? I'm not talking about a couple of flowers for a jam jar. The mothers were taking photos of the children with the bunches, so they knew what was going on.

When we went to the car park the children had dropped some of the bluebells on the ground and they had been trampled on. I felt so sad. These are beautiful flowers, and quite rare now as they are 'proper' English bluebells, not the Spanish hybrids.

Perhaps I am being grumpy, but it just seemed a bit selfish. What do others think?

OP posts:
Olympia2012 · 04/05/2012 18:04

I agree with you.... Selfish behaviour

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 04/05/2012 18:05

I thought bluebells were a protected species so it is an offence to pick them.

CointreauVersial · 04/05/2012 18:05

It's very short-sighted because bluebells last about 10 minutes as cut flowers; they wilt almost immediately. I might let my DCs (if very young) pick a single flower to admire, but would prefer to teach them that bluebells are best admired in situ.

2shoes · 04/05/2012 18:05

yanbu

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 04/05/2012 18:06

see here
www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Common_Bluebell

UnChartered · 04/05/2012 18:06

off with their heads!

i know, if we all that there'd be none left for everyone else to enjoy.

but we don't all Do That

you are being a bit miserable really. the weather has been shit for weeks, the flowers will be killed off by some frost before long..it's kids, picking bluebells

corlan · 04/05/2012 18:07

YANBU.

I believe the scientific term for these people is 'thick as shit'.

DoingTheBestICan · 04/05/2012 18:08

I thought they were protected? Selfish of the mothers to allow their dcs to pick all those flowers,they are there for everyone to admire not just one family.

redexpat · 04/05/2012 18:09

I thought it was part of the country code that you dont pick flowers, because if everyone did it there would be no flowers left.

trixymalixy · 04/05/2012 18:09

I hate this too. I saw a Dad letting his kids picking bundles and bundles of daffodils that had been planted for the enjoyment of everyone in their way to the station. There were none left at all the next day. So selfish.

HandMadeTail · 04/05/2012 18:09

I'm fairly sure it's illegal to pick wildflowers in Australia. We were always told to leave them for others to enjoy.

I absolutely agree that this is selfish. How would those children be able to show their children bluebells, if everyone did this. Still, I suppose the parents figure they'll be dead by then, so what does it matter?

QuintessentialShadows · 04/05/2012 18:10
Angry

Off with their heads.

It is the same problem with the beautiful species of Arctic blueberries. It is a good opportunity to educate children about the fragile state of our planet and the plants and animals living here. We admire them, but would not dream of picking them...

CreamolaFoamless · 04/05/2012 18:11

I was thinking about bluebells the other day (& snowdrops and crocuses) . I haven't seen them wild for years.

squeakytoy · 04/05/2012 18:11

It isnt illegal to pick them (it is damn cheeky in a NT place though), it is illegal to dig up the bulbs.

bumperella · 04/05/2012 18:12

It's a crappy thing to do. Let everyone enjoy them, FGS. The only person being miserable is the selfish eejits who let their kids pick loads of these flowers.

JustFab · 04/05/2012 18:12

Soon there won't be any left. A neighbour had a huge patch of them and got rid of them as the lawn looked "messy with them their and precious princess can't play in the garden" Angry.

UnChartered · 04/05/2012 18:13

there are thousands of bluebells about - hush up with the 'national bluebell shortage' gubbins Grin

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 04/05/2012 18:14

If the flowers are picked before they can reproduce and set seed then potentially it is harmful to the survival of the species.

DoingTheBestICan · 04/05/2012 18:14

Thanks Squeaky i couldnt remember what was illegal re the bluebells.
I imagine the bluebells where english ones too with them being in a NT place.

nocake · 04/05/2012 18:22

The bluebells will be owned by the NT so it's illegal to pick them without permission. If they were on common land then it would be legal, but inconsiderate, to pick them.

EdithWeston · 04/05/2012 18:22

Native English bluebells are one of the specifically listed species which has extra protection under the law, and it is illegal to pick them. They are rare now.

The ones you see everywhere are the slightly larger non-native ones.

Unless you are a botanist, you need to check with the landowner which species they are.

It is always appropriate, even with non-endangered species to seek the landowner's permission before picking.

UnChartered · 04/05/2012 18:24

you could all buy some of these instead then?

GrungeBlobPrimpants · 04/05/2012 18:40

English bluebells are endangered Angry

Bloody appalling behaviour

Original poster
Abra1d · 04/05/2012 18:58

I feel better about feeling grumpy now. I am fairly sure these were English bluebells: they had bells on one side of the stem only, were fairly dark blue, and were scented. Gorgeous, in fact.

OP posts:
sugarice · 04/05/2012 19:02

Oh I thought it was illegal to pick any bluebells. Shock Am I thick?