In May, June and July a succession of rare orchids flower in abundance in our wildflower meadows. Here's our pick of the best Nature Reserves to see these exotic flowers.

Winter is the toughest time of year for wildlife but even at this, the darkest, coldest and least promising time of year, life goes on. While some animals such as hedgehogs and dormice hibernate, there's still a lot of wildlife active at this time of year.

The appearance of bluebells in our ancient woods is a welcome sign Spring is in full swing. In the dappled shade of the woodland floor, these iconic flowers become a patchwork of light and dark blue with hints of violet. Did you know the UK is home to more than half of the world’s bluebells!

Wildflower meadows are some of the best places to see summer butterflies flittering among the swathes of nectar rich plants. By hedgerows and in sunny woodland glades you'll see a host of different butterflies on the wing.

Autumn is a time when summer's lush greens become browns and oranges, punctuated with pops of red and purple berries. This is a time of nature's plenty, with a wonderful hedgerow harvest of blackberries, rose hips, crab apples, hazelnuts and seeds. For many birds it’s about arrivals and departures, some flying south. There is still much to see and enjoy as wildlife prepares for the long, cold winter.

Seeing wild daffodils on a sunny day is a real spring-time treat as these dainty pale-yellow flowers bob in the breeze. Commonly known as the ‘Lent lily’ for its long association with Easter celebrations, they come into flower towards the end of March in woodland and damp undisturbed meadows. Once abundant, this wildflower is sadly now much rarer, having declined during the 19th century as a result of habitat loss. Here are some of the nature reserves where you can enjoy them.

When it comes to woodland wildflowers, there’s one plant that hogs the headlines – and it’s easy to see why! Bluebells are undeniably beautiful, carpeting the forest floor in a swaying sea of violet-blue petals. They flower around April and can be an indication that you’re standing in an ancient woodland. But they aren’t the only wildflowers that grace our woodlands each spring.

Along the edge of ponds, streams and ditches live dragonflies and smaller, dainty damselflies. They fly close to the surface of the water, hunting for flies, midges and mosquitoes. Damselflies come in vibrant colours of metallic green, blues and reds while dragonflies are larger and more robust,

Spring is such an thrilling time of year as wildlife bursts into action after the cold winter months. Bluebells, primroses and cowslips adorn our woods and grasslands, migrant birds return and bird song is at its peak with the deafening dawn chorus.

Autumn welcomes the arrival of fieldfares and redwings, noisy and gregarious birds often seen feasting in our orchards. They gather along the coasts of Scandinavia and northern Europe as the days shorten to begin their long and risky flight to the UK to over-winter here. Fieldfares and redwings start arriving in early October and nearly all will have left by late April. They are very social birds, spending the winter in flocks of anything from a dozen or two to several hundred strong, moving from orchard to orchard across the countryside.

Summer is a time of plenty and colour. Wildflower meadows burst into colour, butterflies fit between flowers and dragonflies and damselflies go about their business of hunting. Enjoy all the wildlife on offer at this time of year.

The vibrant colours of summer flowers are replaced by equally dazzling displays of purple, red, orange, and yellow in our native woodland. As the green of chorophyll in leaves is broken down, it reveals yellow flavonols, orange carotenoids and red to purple anthocyanins. The mixture of these compounds differs between species to give us such magnificent displays.