Orchards in Blossom

Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris)

In the country there are many domestic apples that have gone wild but in a few places you may be lucky to find a true Crab Apple. The Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris) is the mother of all the cooking and eating apples we have today. The Crab Apples are sought after later in the year for their pectic acid, which is great for making fruit jams set, especially fruits like Strawberries that naturally lack pectin. The apple blossom can be distinguished from the pear blossom by its pink tinge whereas the pear is purely white. The most common site for Crab Apple is along Old Saxon boundaries and old hedgerows.

Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)

Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) is truly the most distinctive flower to be seen in the landscape during spring as it adorns our road verges. It has delicate white flowers and some call it "Queen Anne's Lace", which refers to Queen Anne, who was keen on walking the country roads on the outskirts of London for her health, and also the flowers resembling lace. The seed heads that form later in the year have been used for flavouring meals. It has been given other names like "Devil's Meat" and "Bad Man's Oatmeal" this was because it has often been misidentified with plants like the very poisonous Hemlock and was given names like that to put people off eating any part of it. It was however known in the past as the "Devil's Plant" because it was often used in casting evil spells by witches especially when mixed with pigs dung. It is today, as it has been for thousands of years, a good source of nectar for insects for this time of year.

Danish Scurvy Grass (Cochlearia danica)

Another flower that can be found along our road verges is the Danish Scurvy Grass (Cochlearia danica). This is very low to the ground and has been very successful in spreading all over the country and has even been seen moving into Scotland. The best places to see this small white (and sometimes pink) flower is along the centre reservations of our motorways and dual carriageways. This plant used to be confined to the coastine but then it started to be found growing along railway lines where ballast had been laid down and had originated from coastal areas. However, the fast flow of vehicles and the salt added to our roads creates the perfect conditions resembling the windy, salty environment of the coast.

Garlic Mustard (Allaria petiolata)

Look out for the white flowers of the Garlic Mustard (Allaria petiolata) which can be commonly found on hedgerow banks and in woodland and mildly smells of garlic. It has another name which it is commonly called "Jack by the Hedge". The leaves have been used for centuries for flavouring sauces used for serving with fish or lamb and are used in spring salads. The plant initially resembles the Nettle however at this time of year it is easily distinguished by its lovely show of white flowers and later in the year by its long seedpods. It is one of the main food sources for the Orange Tip butterfly in its caterpillar stage.

Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines)

The Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines) can be seen flying throughout the month of May along our road verges and particularly wet meadows. The wings are creamy white and in the case of the male have orange tips to their wings. The underside of the wings of both the males and the females are a blotched green colour at first glance and can sometimes make them almost invisible. On closer inspection this green colour is in fact a combination of yellow and black dots which imitate the colour green. After mating the female lays her small bright orange eggs on mainly Garlic Mustard and Cuckoo Flower.

Honey-bee (Apis mellifera) combs

Another insect that can be seen busily buzzing around is the Honey-bee (Apis mellifera). They can be seen collecting nectar from a wide variety of flowers out at this time of the year. The Honey-bee has a highly developed method of communication. This involves patterns of dance and gesture and by doing so an individual worker bee can direct fellow bees from the colony to find the rich source of nectar and return it to the hive. At this time of year you may be lucky to see bees forming swarms as they move locations for a better feeding ground. The Honey-bee was anciently known as the "Beo", meaning the flutterer. They have long been associated with being messengers of the gods. They have also been thought to have insight to a world unknown to humans since ancient times and this assumption has been proved to be correct to some extent. The Honey-bee can perceive ultra violet light, and by interpreting polarised light vibrations, are able to detect the position of the sun, even when it is cloudy. Wild colonies are usually found nesting in holes in trees or sometimes hanging from tree branches. The nest or comb is made up from a network of wax cells in which honey is stored. A single queen rules the colony and the bulk of the colony is made up with female worker bees.

I'll be back with more next month as Spring ripens into Summer.