Beautiful Springtime

Despite the British weather doing its damndest to convince us otherwise, Spring is gradually turning the corner.

Crocuses have put on particularly handsome displays this year. I love the way that the swathes of colour filling the roadsides, shift shades, from one week to the next.

Daffodils are now beginning to brighten the verges, waving their fresh bright yellow trumpets defiantly at the relentless streams of dirty traffic.

The plum blossom and blackthorn came out strongly but has been looking a bit battered after recent weather conditions (the Beast from the East). But it is still a good marker to note where plums may be plentiful, when the Summer finally arrives.

While enjoying the colourful displays that brighten my damp rides to and from work, I am now looking forward to more warmth, sunshine and green leaves in the hedgerows and trees.

I'm also looking forward to April, when delicate Bluebells fill those secret woodland floors with magical carpets of azure.

Spring Flowers

Most people associate Spring with blossom and flowers.  But the seasons do not suddenly change, rather they segue, sliding from one into the other and occasionally back again. However, the wheel turns relentlessly and the more times we see it rotate, the more we become acquainted with the sequence.

Although the months slip and slide and what happens during their passage can vary; within a tolerance, we can predict, roughly, what will appear at a given time.

January brings delicate snowdrops, for the galanthophiles.

February fetches up the shifting colours of crocuses.

March trumpets in yellow daffodils on the roadsides and then Blackthorn (Sloe) and Plum blossom in the hedgerows and trees . Having said this, I have already seen my first Plum blossom of 2013 and recently in Devon we saw a deligtful roadside bank with Snowdrops, Crocuses and Daffodills all in bloom at once.

April fills the woodland floor with Bluebells and Cherry blossom bursts from the trees.

April-May brings the Apple & Pear blossom as Spring eventually draws to a close. May-Day heralds the start of the Summer; with Elderflowers, ready to be turned into champagne and cordial.

Something else for me to point out, is that I'm still eating delicious apples that we picked last September/October and stored in our shed!

Bumblebees

While pushing the mower over the garden lawn recently (it’s a non-powered mechanical mower), I spotted a bumblebee flying up from the grass. As I went back over the same patch again, I saw another.

I had a closer look at the spot and as I watched I saw several bees fly in and out of a small hole in the ground; there was obviously a nest. I gently banged in a couple of pegs  as a marker and more bees came out at the disturbance, one even landed on my leg and got hastily brushed off.

My children were delighted not to mention very excited and phoned grandma and mum before settling down to observe and count our bees. At least we won’t have to worry about our (bee friendly) flowers being pollenated. We believe they are White Tailed Bumblebees.

Up the Apple & Pears

A Lovely Big hedgerow Apple Tree

Now is the easiest time to spot fruit trees in the hedgerows and parks and common land, even if you do not have much knowledge of tree types. This weekend we stopped under a small but florid crab apple tree to shelter from the April rain (this is certainly the wettest drought I’ve ever seen). The prolific buzzing of bees in the canopy made a welcome change from the constant background drone of traffic.

A Great Spot For A Picnic; by a Canal, with Free Fruit and Walnuts

Apple and pear trees are coming into bloom and the blossom will be abundant, which is why, like, Cherries, they are sometimes planted as ornamental trees.

Apple

Many countries celebrate the flowering of fruit trees in Spring. It is a time of rejuvenation and transformation.

Pear

So, when you next spot a tree covered in flowers, take time to look a little closer and see if you can identify what fruit it will bear.

Apple

Structurally, apple and pear trees can look similar although pears tend to be taller and more upright in their growth. Apple trees often show signs of previous pruning but if they have been neglected they can get very gnarled and busy.

Apple

The flowers of pear trees do look similar and both trees begin to grow leaves before flowers but the buds of apple blossom are often tinged with pink; whereas pears are likely to be pure white

The easiest way to determine apple from pear, before the fruit is visible, is by examining the leaves. Pear leaves are more pointed in shape and have a more sharply serrated edge. Apple leaves have more gentle serrations around the edges and a more rounded appearance.

Pear

Of course there are many diverse varieties within any type of fruit tree, so differences will always need to be accounted for. The Urbane Forager’s free Seasonal id Sheets are still available for download to your computer and printing off for convenience…

Pretty as a Picture





Spring is officially here now, the dafodills are out and I've just started on my second barrel of cider. It’s time to get the cameras out... I always like to hear from people who like the pictures used in the Urbane Forager blog. I enjoy taking photographs and often have my camera when we go out on our little adventures; taking lots of shots helps me to build the story.



Shadow of a Cherry Tee on Blinds at Work



I’m no expert, nor do I have special equipment, just a point & shoot camera. I did make sure that I got a robust one, one that can be dropped, dunked, taken to the beach and used by children.

A Fish With Reflected Clouds

The main reason I take nice photos though, is that I’m always looking. I have heard it said that art is really the Act of Looking.

When you look close, you can notice something tiny. When you stand back you may notice something large or distant. It can be about silhouettes, shadows, objects or contrast and colour.

If you don’t take time to look you will certainly never see and even then, you need to be bothered to stop for a minute, get the camera out and take the picture.

Birds on Branches

I think that walking and cycling helps me too, I tend to notice more when I am outside and moving more slowly.

I recently observed the first signs of cherry blossom peeping through. Soon the white haze of plum and blackthorn will be replaced with the rosy/snowy antennae of the cherry trees – they are native to the UK and will be spotted by woodland and along many roadsides. Record the locations and come back later to check for young fruit.

Shortly after the cherry, apple and pear trees will begin to flower, so this will be the best time (apart from autumn) for a wander through the Mansbridge Community Orchard.



Unseasonably Late Snowdrops



Chestnutcases

Furry Tentacles

You may have noticed recently, the wonderful, furry, tentacle like flowers adorning Sweet Chestnut trees in the summer.

A Compact Chestnut Tree Flowering In July

They have now turned into the familiar spiky nut cases, although they will not be ripe for a month or so yet.

Scientifically Proven to be One of The Most Prickly Things Known To Man

While we are on the subject of Nutcases...

I found this following little nugget on the internet regarding the "homoeopathic uses" for the flowers of the Sweet Chestnut…

“The flower essence

Sweet chestnut is the remedy for those who feel so stressed, even tortured, that they have reached the limits of their endurance and feel in a state of utter despair. The mind and the body are completely exhausted from uncomplainingly fighting difficulties, cither mental or physical, until a sense of hopeless­ness and complete darkness sets in. In this ‘dark night of the soul’ sufferers may come face to face with themselves and this may prove the catalyst for entering a new stage in life.

The intensity of suffering may push us on to the threshold of inner transformation, and to another level of consciousness. Sweet chestnut helps during such crises in our lives; it enhances the process of transformation that is possible in such a state of despair and helps to prevent us from simply going to pieces and deriving little or no benefit from the experience.”

Why, Thank you - Internet, for supplying us with such appalling English and so much drivel…

We All Know What We Do With These...

You will be pleased to hear that the Urbane Forager will be avoiding this kind of gibberish; and when they duly arrive around October, we will be roasting our chestnuts over an open fire in the traditional way.

That's Better!
Don't Forget To Slit Them First Though

Incidentally, did you know that the Greeks, apparently, call chestnuts Zeus’s Acorns?