Product Description
19 February 2014 Spring Blooms Post and Go Faststamps Set of 6 x 1stThis is a set of 6 x 1st class stamps in the Bureau pack from machine C002
The stamps were later reprinted using the RM2 machine, producing a different font for the service indicator and datastring - these first appeared in February 2015. (See pictures)
Spring Blooms
Springtime flowers mark the most profound change from the chilled depths of winter to the rebirth of spring. Every year, no matter how harsh the winter, spring flowers appear, sometimes peeking through the snow, reminding us that a new season beckons. As well as being a source of great joy and injecting colour into the countryside, these plants are vital sources of food for animals that hibernate over winter in the UK.
Sadly, each year many of these species are reducing in number, victims of changing weather and competition from more common species which thrive in polluted ecosystems. You can help rare plants by reducing your impact on the planet and joining a conservation organisation with a mission to protect them.
Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) can flower from January: Snowdrops have delicate flowers that hang down like lanterns. Although appearing white, closer inspection reveals green tips on the inner petals. The plants possess natural antifreeze compounds, enabling them to thrive in harsh springs and even grow in snow.
Dog Violet (Viola riviniana): The heart-shaped leaves of this plant can be seen throughout the year but in spring their delicate purple blooms first appear. The flowers have large backward-pointing spurs, full of nectar for pollinators emerging from winter hibernation.
Wild daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus): An emblem of Wales and beloved by poets and artists, these swaying blooms with a yellow ‘trumpet’ surrounded by six paler-yellow petals flower from February to April. They are native to the south and west of the UK, growing on woodland banks and in glades.
Primrose (Primula vulgaris): Primroses can form dense carpets of yellow in woodland glades, hedgebanks and spring meadows. Their name derives from being one of the first flowers of spring. The flowers form two distinct types, ‘pins’ and ‘thrums’, which need each other to cross-pollinate.
Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria): Wordsworth’s favourite flower, called ‘spring messenger’ that reputedly always flowers on 21 Feb. One of the true heralds of spring, these tiny buttercups form yellow carpets in town parks, moist grasslands and riverbanks. The flowers open their widest on sunny days when they are most likely to be pollinated by passing insects.
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa): A white flowering plant, the Blackthorn is a common sight in UK hedgerows. These shrubs flower before they grow leaves, giving them the whole summer to grow and ripen their large sloe berries. Belonging to the Rose family, their blossom can transform whole landscapes in late March.
