May blossom

 

It's been a fantastic year for Hawthorn blossom.

Blackthorn blossom

 

Where ever you look the Blackthorn are in blossom, bringing hedgerows and woodland fringes to life, and it's now that you realise just how common this thorny shrub is. Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) comes into flower throughout early spring, though really comes into its own around now.

Blossom

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) blossom is coming out all over the forest.

Larch Blossom

 

Larch (Larix decidua) blossom, an enchanting flower that as it happens in folklore protects you from enchantment. 

Apples

As the apple trees over the common are coming into blossom, I've noticed their number is multiplying with several young trees popping up. To my knowledge all the Common's apple trees, well at least all the ones I've tested, are eaters rather than cookers. I don't know what variety of apple they are, though they have the feel of an older less breed variety and produce small yet flavoursome fruits with tough skins. I'm hoping for a good fruiting season as I've got some appley plans.

Blossom

Every year this tree on the bank of Red Rise Brook puts on a magnificent display of blossom, and this year's no exception; what a sight. Being early out, before much else has stirred, the pink flowers really stand out, even at a distance.

Blackthorn

One of the earliest to shine, the Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is coming into blossom all over the forest. 

Early blossom

I spied my first Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) blossom of the year on the bank of Avon Water near Ossemsley Ford; ’twas the only I saw too, and there were plenty of Blackthorn around; just a handful of flowers brightening a solitary branch. Flowering way before the pollinators take flight, Blackthorn being hermaphrodites, can please themselves. 

Cherry blossom

We've a bumper show of blossom on our cherry this year. If they set to a fruit, the birds will be happy. We've had this tree for 30 years, it was grown from a cutting/graft by a friend, it has moved when we've moved, it spent 15 years in a less that perfect spot, and suffered some heavy prunings too. I think it's happy with it's current position though, as year on year we're getting more blossom and fruits. It's certainly one of our gardens heralds of Spring proper.

Blackthorn Blossom

Currently Blackthorn blossoms deck the hedgerows in a dense blanket of white, you can really see how frequent a fruiting shrub this member of the Rosaceae family is in the English landscape.

Springs advance guard

Fruiting trees are beginning to blossom, in the garden it's the cherries, out here in the forest it's the Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) who are the first of the woodland cohort to show. Walking in Bratley Wood I noticed one tree in the wood was far more advanced in flowering terms than the others, it's buds were full to burst and clusters of clean white flowers were already on show. What was interesting, to me anyway, was that the advanced tree was a stressed tree, one that had suffered storm damage a season or so ago and was listing at 30 degrees. One of the stress responses in plants is to produce more flowers and therefore, hopefully, more seeds to increase the trees likelihood of reproduction and survival of its line. I've seen this in other trees, one in particular is that rarest of trees, in these parts anyway, the Juniper. I only know of two junipers, only one that fruits, and that fruiting one is highly stressed and always heavy with berries. The Blackthorn is common throughout the forest, especially along the stream corridors and amongst the open ancient deciduous stands, this one's going to be a riot  of flowers soon. One of springs advance guard. Hail and welcome.

Marshmallow trees

If you've ever wondered where the tiny marshmallows you find in Rocky Road cakes and fancy hot chocolates came from, wonder no more. They grow on magical trees deep in the forest and are gathered by the woodland folk who together operate as a co-operative. These are some trees in flower, later the tiny correspondingly coloured mallows appear. Well, that's what I've been led to understand.

Apple blossom

Over the common there a few scattered apple trees, long neglected and in one case much abused by some dog walker who encourages their dog to maul the lower branches (something that bemuses me, what with the apple tree being a source of free food, and of course angers me due to the pointlessness vandalism of something beautiful), these trees hold a special place for me.  Over the years I've cleared them of brambles, pruned dead or diseased branches, and of course benefited from their fruits. As well as a source of seasonal free food (there are two or three varieties, all eaters), they represent a visual indication of seasonal change, and I check in with them every day as I walk. Today the first blossoms were properly emerging, so I can confirm, spring is here.

Nearly

It wont be long now, nature is beginning to wake up, and the early Blackthorn buds are just starting to open.

The smell of Spring

One of my favourite things to do in Spring, is take some time to stop and smell the Apple blossom, it's sweet fragrance is transporting; to me Apple blossom is the smell of Spring.