by Judith Stafford | May 18, 2020 | Into the Woods
May in the Woods May is my favourite month of the year, but this year as it has been so warm early in April some of the May flowers are already over. The weather has been amazing this spring but as we have been in lockdown here in the UK the opportunity to visit outside my local area has been restricted. The upside is that I am very familiar with my local area of Clevedon and have loved watching the seasons change. Bluebells are almost over and have put on a good show. I have been pulling them out of the garden again as they appear in the most surprising places. If you are lucky enough to have our native bluebell you can tell it from the more common and invasive Spanish variety as it is more delicate, and its bells are all on the same side making it hang over. The Spanish is more upright and its flowers larger. Most of the bluebells around here are the native ones but, in some areas, the invasive Spanish variety are trying to take over. The Hawthorn is in flower, it is also called May blossom as it always flowers in this month. You can eat the young leaves and flowers – it is known as ‘bread and cheese’. Later on, in the autumn, the berries will be food for the birds and can be made into a ketchup if you want to use them too. The elder blossom starting to open but this is more of a late May to June flower. If you go into any woodland you...
by Judith Stafford | Apr 20, 2020 | Into the Woods
Into the Woods April The weather this April has been amazing. Unfortunately, we are all still on lockdown in the UK so are limited in travelling so have to go into our gardens or walk locally to appreciate the warmth and the sun! Fortunately, you don’t have to go very far to see nature really waking up after the winter, and to realise spring is here. If you have a garden you will have noticed insects are around, bees, beetles and flies of all types and sizes. The birds are singing and gathering materials for their nests. Plants such as daffodils, that flower in early spring are mostly over but the tulips will be glorious for the rest of the month. In the woods spring flowers are in full bloom. Forget-me-nots, celandine, herb Robert, wood anemone and garlic mustard are out. I spotted this delicate sweet purple violet along a shady bank while out walking. If you have a local park the wild garlic will be flowering now. You will smell it before you see it and then it will carpet the woodland floor. Bluebell leaves are coming up now too, ready to start blooming at the end of the month to be in their full glory in May. Fruit trees such as cherry and apple are also coming into blossom. One of my favourite spots to walk is through this apple arch. It is especially lovely when the blossom is out and as you walk under you are snowed on by gently falling blossom petals. Beautiful! The hawthorn blossom is coming out as well and I noticed...
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