British Strawberries are at their best. There is something British about strawberries and summertime. Let’s take a look at these well-loved berries. This year has seen the harvest to be a couple of weeks later than normal, due to the cooler and wetter weather. Again, something Britain is known for....
Anyone out and about in the countryside will notice that Spring has sprung. All around us in the hedgerows are bushes with white flowers or growing leaves. There are two distinct types of trees in our hedgerows. Hawthorn and Blackthorn. Both a valuable support to wildlife and numerous species of insect. So, what is the difference, how can we tell them apart and what can the two be used for? Flowers Blackthorn Blossom This is the main way to tell Hawthorn and Blackthorn apart. Both trees have clusters of white flowers with five petals. Blackthorn tends to blossom slightly earlier, around March/April, whereas Hawthorn, known as the Maytree tends to blossom in May. The big difference is that Blackthorn tends to flower on bare branches where Hawthorn develops its leaves first and then the flowers. Leaves and fruit Both trees have very different leaf shapes. The Hawthorn has three lobes with jagged edges. The Blackthorn leaves are oval with toothed edges. Fruits on the Blackthorn are a luscious purple/black colour and are known as Sloes, commonly used for flavouring gin. These are the great grandmother of our cultivated garden plaums. The Hawthorns fruits are deep red in colour and eaten by many birds during the cold winter months. Bark and thorns. A final way to tell these two trees apart are the bark and thorns. Blackthorn, as its...