Spring Bulbs for Schools

Investigation results 2006-2014

Since October 2005, school scientists across Wales have been keeping weather records and noting when their flowers open, as part of a long-term study looking at the effects of temperature on spring bulbs.

The investigation...

This year, we are continuing to work with the Edina Trust who are funding the pots and bulbs and extending the range of the project to England and Scotland!

96 schools took part this year!

They posted their results on the web

The long term study…

Our climate is changing and so are our seasons. Over the next 10-20 years (and hopefully more) we want school scientists to show how climate change is affecting flowering times in spring bulbs.

In the short term there is plenty for schools to study.

Huge thanks!

Professor Plant would like to thank all of the school scientists that have sent in records this year!

You are all Super Scientists!

Schools to be awarded with certificates:

• All Saints' CE Primary School• Balcurvie Primary School• Ballerup Nursery• Blenheim Road Community Primary School• Brockholes Wood Community Primary School• Brynhyfryd Junior School• Catforth Primary School• Chatelherault Primary School• Cleddau Reach VC Primary • Cobbs Brow Primary School• Coed-y-Lan Primary School• Flakefleet Primary School• Glencairn Primary School• Golden Hill School• Henllys C/W Primary School• Hillside Specialist School• Ladywell Primary School• Lakeside Primary School• Lea Community School• Manor Road Primary School• Manor School• Milford Haven Junior School

• Newport Primary School• Pinfold Primary School• RAF Benson Primary School• Rogiet Primary School• Rougemont Junior School• Scotforth St Paul's CE Primary School • St Bernadette's Primary School• St Gregory's Catholic Primary School • St John's CE Primary School • St Nicholas C/W primary School• Trellech Primary School• Tynewater Primary School• Woodstock CE Primary School• Ysgol Bro Tawe• Ysgol Glan Cleddau• Ysgol Iau Hen Golwyn• Ysgol Nant y Coed• Ysgol Rhys Prichard• Ysgol Santes Tudful• Ysgol Sychdyn• Ysgol Y Berllan Deg• Ysgol Y Faenol

Each to receive Super Scientist certificates and pencils.

Schools with special recognition:

• Auchengray Primary School• Britannia Community Primary • Cawthorne's Endowed

Primary School• Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor• Culross Primary School• Greyfriars RC Primary School• Holy Trinity CE Primary • John Cross CE Primary

• Llanishen Fach Primary School• Red Marsh School• St Anne's Catholic Primary • St Laurence CE Primary • Woodplumpton St. Anne's

Primary School• Ysgol Gynradd Dolgellau• Ysgol Terrig• Ysgol Y Plas

Each to receive certificates, pencils & sunflower seeds.

Highly commended schools: 

Each to receive certificates, pencils, sunflower seed & herb seeds.

• Abergwili VC Primary School• Archbishop Hutton's Primary School• Arkholme CE Primary School• Balshaw Lane Community Primary • Bleasdale CE Primary School• Burscough Bridge Methodist School• Carnforth North Road Primary School• Christchurch CP School• Combe Primary School• Coppull Parish Church School• Cutteslowe Primary School• Darran Park Primary School• Freuchie Primary School• Gladestry C. in W. Primary School• Glyncollen Primary School

• Kilmaron School• Raglan VC Primary School• SS Philip and James CE Primary • St Athan Primary School• St Blanes Primary School• St Ignatius Primary School• St Mary's Catholic Primary School• St Mellons Church in Wales Primary • St Michael's CE (Aided) Primary • St Nicholas Primary School• St Patrick's Primary School• Stanford in the Vale CE Primary • Ysgol Bro Eirwg• Ysgol Deganwy

Runner's up: 

• Wormit Primary School in Scotland

• Ysgol Gynradd Cross Hands in Wales

• The Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School in England

Each to receive certificates, pencils & a gift voucher to purchase lovely things for your gardening projects

Winners 2014

Ysgol Clocaenog in Wales

Dallas Road Community Primary School in England

Abronhill Primary School in Scotland

Each will receive certificates, pencils and a class trip of fun-packed activities!

Summary 2005-2014

• Here is a very brief summary of the results that we have observed since 2005.

• You can download the results to study them for yourself at www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs

UK & Welsh data

• Since 2005 Welsh schools have been collecting data.

• Since 2011 English and Scottish schools have been collecting data.

• As a result, we have produced two sets of data, one for Wales 2005-2014 and another for the UK which compares results between different countries.

UK Results Summary

Which country was the warmest / coldest?

Which country had the most / least sunshine?

Which country had the most / least rain?

Flowers will open earliest in areas where it is both warm and sunny.

Especially during the month of February.

As a result the flowers opened earlier in Wales and England this year.

Download the results yourself to…

Visit www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs

•Make graphs & frequency charts or calculate the mean.

•See if the flowers opened late in schools that recorded cold weather

•See how temperature, sunshine and rainfall affect the average flowering dates.

•Look for trends between different locations.

Welsh Results Summary

Our records show that spring 2014 was mild (not very cold) but there was a lot of rain.

The temperature stayed mild (not very cold) all winter.  

Temperatures were quite high in 2014, but not the highest overall.

2014 was not very sunny, only 2013 had less sunshine.

This year it was a lot warmer and a bit sunnier than last year and the flowers opened two weeks earlier.

Rainfall in 2014 was higher than in any other year of the project!

Welsh results table 2005-2014

How does the weather effect flowering times in the daffodil?

This year daffodil flowering date was around the middle compared with other years. It was not very

early like 2008, or very late like 2013.

The trend shows: As temperatures get lower daffodils flower later – but there are some exceptions. Can you spot them?

What years don’t fit the

trend?

Ans: 2007, 2012

& 2014

Possible explanation: Although the temperature was at its highest in 2007, 2012 & 2014 the flowers did not open early. This is likely to be because the hours of sunshine remained low until March those years.

The trend shows: As the hours of sunshine decrease daffodils open later – but there are some exceptions. Can you spot them?

What years don’t fit the

trend?

Ans: 2011

& 2014

In 2011 and 2014 the average daffodil flowering date was the same – 12 March, but 2011 had high sunshine and 2014 had low sunshine (both years are shown by the same line).

Possible explanations: Although there was lots of sunshine in 2011, temperature was very low. Although there was very little sunshine in 2014, temperature was quite high.

How does the weather effect flowering times in the crocus?

Average crocus flowering date this year was the third latest compared with other years. 2009 and 2013 were later.

The trend shows: Generally, as temperature gets lower, crocus flowers open later – but there are some exceptions. Can you spot them? What might be the cause?

What years don’t fit the

trend?

Ans: 2012 & 2014

Possible explanation: Although the temperature in 2012 & 2014 was very warm the flowers didn’t open until March. This is likely to be because the hours of sunshine were in the low 60s until March.

The trend shows: Generally, when there is less sunshine the crocus flowers open later – but there are some exceptions. Can you spot them?

What years don’t fit the

trend?

Ans: 2009 & 2011

Possible explanation: There was lots of sunshine in 2009 and 2011 but temperatures were fairly low in 2009 and very low in 2011.

Finding a trend is quite difficult but some things are clear…

The bulbs rely on both sunshine and warmth in order to flower.

Our seasons are becoming more unpredictable as our world is getting warmer.

Download the results yourself to…

Visit www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs

•Make graphs & frequency charts or calculate the mean.

•See if the flowers opened late in schools that recorded cold weather

•See how temperature, sunshine and rainfall affect the average flowering dates.

•Look for trends between different locations.