The BBC tells us that around 25,000 daffodil and bluebell bulbs are being planted at English Heritage gardens, including Queen Victoria's former home Osborne House, in Isle of Wight, because the flowers are under threat from hybrids and non-native species such as the Spanish bluebell.

John Watkins, head of gardens and landscapes at English Heritage, said: “Our native species and historic cultivars are increasingly under threat from cross-pollination with non-native species and hybrids that flower at the same time.”

He added: “The resulting offspring will be hybrids and likely to outperform and out-compete the native species. Historic gardens and landscapes are often the last refuge for ancient cultivars and native species.”