The walking year
January
Febrary
One of the first flowers of the year is the snowdrop. After the winter, it's a very welcome sight.
March
April
This well-known flower produces carpets of blue in wooded areas.
May
May blossom is the flower of the hawthorn. Unlike its cousin blackthorn, the hawthorn comes out in leaf well before flowering. It has been out in leaf for a while and the flowers begin to appear just before the start of May. Some hedges explode into white making the hedges look as if they've had a diusting of snow.
June
Elderflower - visible for most of the month. Looks and smells beautiful. Deep fry them in batter, make cordial. Make wine
Dog-rose or wild rose - the flowers are less complex and beautiful than their cultivated cousins, but they add beautiful decoration on our hedges during June. The petals have many uses - wine, brandy, sweets and even jam.
July
August
The first blackberries appear. The ones at the end of the stalks are the sweetest and appear first. Berries continue to ripen through to October.
Elderberries are not pleasant to eat, but great for wine.
September
Rosehips start to ripen. They're available and usable well into the winter, and are better when riper. Use them to make wine or syrup.
October
Sloes are not a pleasant fruit to eat, but prick and soak in gin and sugar for a delicious Christmas drink.
November
December