As the evenings become longer and touched with golden light, and the air becomes warmer and dares us to leave our jackets at home, some of us migrate towards the riverside. The irresistible draw of the tinkling flow over rocks or the reassuring glossy slide of deeper waters calms the mind and soul. Those who stop to peer beneath the water’s mirror sheen will be rewarded with a glimpse of a busy and bustling world, with inhabitants going about their multitudinous tasks, oblivious to the land of giants above. One of these inhabitants, the caddisfly larvae, has a fascinating story.
Caddisfly adult, credit: Magnus Hagdorn, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
My first introduction to caddisfly larvae was when my son showed me one in his hand. “They’re everywhere”, he told me. “There’s a creature inside. I think the creature makes its own case to hide in.” As usual, when it comes to matters of nature, he was right. The caddisfly, or sedge fly, is a large order of insects which can be found in all sorts of wetland. They are known for building cases around their bodies to shelter and then pupate inside. The caddisfly larvae gather sand, small stones and pieces of wood which they spin into a tube-like case with silk secreted from glands in their mouths. In this way, the caddisfly larvae create a portable shelter for themselves that perfectly matches the riverbed. The larvae can emerge their head and legs from the case and scuttle around, ready to shrink back inside at the first sign of danger, looking exactly like a piece of gravel.
Caddisfly Larva, credit: marsupium photography, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
There are almost 200 species of caddisfly in the UK. The adults are moth-like but with fine hairs on their wings instead of scales, and wings that fold back along their bodies. Swarms of adult caddisfly can be seen flying above the surface of water in late spring: a delectable buffet for lurking fish. The adult caddisfly will live for around a month, during which time the females lay eggs on vegetation just by the water’s surface. On hatching, the larvae fall into the water and begin immediately building a case to live in. When they are ready to pupate, the caddisfly larva will seal its case with a stone or piece of wood. It will then spin a cocoon of silk around its body as it undergoes metamorphosis into its adult state, and the cycle begins once again.
River dipping, credit: Sue Crookes
Next time you’re picnicking, paddling or messing about in boats, take a moment to look at the riverbed. There might be more going on than you’d think.
Find out what you can do to help insects on the Dorset Wildlife Trust website: dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/action-insects.
A monumental, two ton, four metre high Polar Bear (named Boris!), floating on an iceberg in the middle of the water first greets the visitor to the ‘Form’ exhibition at Sculpture by the Lakes, near Dorchester. This spectacular, incongruous vision is the creation of wildlife sculptor, Adam Binder, and alongside the Canada geese, grebes and Muscovy ducks enjoying the Spring sunshine on the lakes, it raises awareness of all species under threat, whilst also highlighting climate change. Indeed, there are one hundred outdoor sculptures carefully placed around the park, visually enhancing their surroundings – many more indoor pieces are on display in the galleries, overall the work of over thirty of the UK’s top sculptors.
In 2007, the old fishing business at Pallington Lakes was purchased by Simon and Monique Gudgeon and Simon installed his original sculptures around the lakes for clients to see his work outdoors rather than leaving them in storage: “Large monumental sculptures do not work in a gallery. They are out of scale and out of context. The landscape can enhance the sculpture and the sculpture can enhance the landscape.” The Sculpture Park opened in 2011 and has been growing and evolving ever since, for Simon, with his keen interest in art, history and mythology, is constantly adding to and re-designing areas of the garden: “You buy art because you love it. The investment is in the quality of life and what it actually gives to you.”
Initially qualifying as solicitor, he did not pursue this career but instead became a financial advisor, a landscape gardener and even a house sitter. He then started painting and realised he wanted to be an artist, the key being: “Practise and practise and practise.” Initially thinking sculpture would be more difficult than painting, he immediately fell in love with it, and the first piece of his to be installed was Thoth, the Egyptian God of the Moon, often depicted with an ibis head. The body of this elegant piece reflects that abstracted curve of the bird and simulates the curve of the moon. Although he started off as a wildlife sculptor, he has now digressed into abstract, figurative and kinetic work: “One thing I really like about sculpture is its Form.”
I was lucky enough to visit this new exhibition on the warmest day of the year so far. Each piece has been sited with care, relating to its environment to create a combination of art and landscape. As I wandered through a lovely glade of white barked silver birch just coming into leaf, Mark Beattie’s bright red, painted steel sculpture Fracture II created a visual harmony of light and complementary colours against the bright green of the spring grass. Mark enjoys the idea of colour theory, believing that colours act as an emotional directive for the observer – so he creates abstract sculptures using various metals and colours, ranging in size from miniature to the monumental.
In contrast is the work of the sculptor, Ted Edley, who hails from Corfe Castle and is a regular on Quest TV ‘Salvage Hunters: The Restorers’. Known as the ‘Dorset Copperfish’, he works with copper, brass, steel and unusual found objects to create decorative, architectural sculptural work. His dramatic, mythical sea creature ‘Hello Handsome’ was unexpectedly lurking around a corner in the wild river landscape.
I also heard one visitor exclaim that she had visited purely to see Nick Bibby’s masterful life-size sculpture of the “Old Man of the Forest”- a Sumatron Orangutan called Dagu, a resident at Jersey Zoo. Nick’s sculptures are exquisitely observed and Orangutans are one of his all-time favourite animals: “powerful, yet gentle, with such a depth of wisdom in those eyes.”
Another piece which resonated with me was Charles Elliott’s ‘Horse’s Head’.
Displaying real energy and grace, it is intricately crafted from steel shapes and finished in galvanised zinc. The sunlight reflected from the lake glinted though the patterns of the metal, for Simon believes that placing the sculptures by water instils a sense of peace and tranquility – more and more important in our busy lives. Charles is a young sculptor devoted to his craft; indeed, he epitomises a quotation inscribed on one of the plaques embedded along the garden path: ‘Let the beauty of what you love be what you do’ (Rumi). With a keen interest in wildlife from a young age, Charles has already earned international recognition within the sculpture world, showcasing his wildlife sculptures at various prestigious events worldwide.
There is space here to only mention a few of the beautiful and unique works of art in this exhibition. “A sculpture on a superficial level must encapsulate beauty, it must uplift the spirit and enhance its surroundings. But on a deeper level it should resonate with the viewer, should have a subconscious appeal to their emotions. Whether those emotions are the same as the artist intended is not important – what is important is that the viewer connects with the art.” “Sculpture by the Lakes” enables the visitor to do just this – whilst also wandering around the lakes amidst stunning landscape and gardens, or sitting by the stream enjoying some of the delicious offerings from the Gallery café, where ingredients are sourced directly from the kitchen garden.
Although Simon and Monique’s dogs have their home in the gardens and Lunar their pale haired Spanish rescue dog (known as ‘The Spanish Terrorist’ because he is a “terrier at heart”) might be sighted enjoying the sunshine in a quiet corner, please note the exhibition has a “no children under 14 and no dogs” policy. The ‘Form’ exhibition runs until 16th May.
Purbeck Youth & Community Foundation took over running the Wareham Youth & Community Centre in 2016 setting up the Charity to run Wareham Youth Club, provide services for Young People and to see the Centre was used for community benefit.
The Charity now runs clubs in Wareham, Wool and Corfe and has Outreach in Swanage using our newly acquired Outreach vehicle. Covid has challenged us all and we have used Zoom, our allotment, worked in schools, held outdoor meetings, provided outdoor challenges and undertaken Outreach. We have provided holiday activities including hot meals for young people who are eligible for free school meals. We are gradually starting back towards our usual services.
The centre is a hub with clubs, a weekly counsellor, a D of E group, Over 50s Not so Youth club, some under 10s sessions, and a club for adults with a learning disability. We link with various partners including Planet Purbeck and the picture above shows our painted cow at Studland in the Dunes project. Young people benefit from feeling safe, with access to qualified Youth workers/ trusted adults and opportunity to work out problems, socialise and enjoy activities.
We provide training for volunteers of all ages and we are grateful for local support from Councils, business and the local community. We write numerous bids and undertake one to one work with the income going into running services.
We are always looking for various volunteers, part time youth workers and fundraisers. To find out more about us we have a face book page, Instagram account pycfwareham, and our website www.pycf.org.uk e mail [email protected] tel 01929552934.
(This month we broke the rules, and have two stories on the same subject – the CPRE choose their own column, and we exist to give a voice to local communities on important issues, so I gave this space to David too – Ed)
The black marks outline the extent of the site of the planned BSR solar plant, as viewed from Nettlecombe Tout
British Solar Renewables (BSR) have applied to Dorset Council for planning permission to cover 190 acres of productive farmland with solar panels at North Dairy Farm, near the villages of Mappowder, Hazelbury Bryan and Pulham in the beautiful and historic Blackmore Vale, North Dorset. It would cover an area eight times bigger than the Conservation Area of Hazelbury Bryan – over one mile long and ¾ of a mile wide.
Save Hardy’s Vale (SHV) is a community group opposing the plan. Co-ordinating the widespread cross-party opposition to the application is Mappowder’s Parish Chairman, David Horrell.
David says, “many in the community are making it very clear how much they value our highly protected countryside and historic landscape. The Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which overlooks the proposed site, is given the highest levels of protection in Dorset Council’s plans”.
The numerous uninterrupted panoramic views from public roads, footpaths and bridleways which run through the site and along the escarpments above the Vale would suffer significant visual harm.
The industrial-sized electricity generation plant would include 9.5 kilometres of perimeter internal security fence, about 120, 6-metre-high camera posts, 33 inverter containers, and an electricity substation.
Protesters believe it would cause significant visual harm to the setting of the nationally protected AONB, the Conservation Areas of Mappowder and Hazelbury Bryan and many listed buildings.
The site is surrounded by the catchment area and flood zones of the River Lydden and Wonston Brook, where flash floods and surface flooding often close the roads without warning. David said “the SHV community, like Dorset Council, fully supports the vital switch to green, low carbon energy. We are very pleased that the Prime Minister announced that off-shore wind turbines will provide the green energy needs of all homes in the country by 2030. We do not need to desecrate Hardy’s Vale to combat climate change when we will get all the green energy we need.”
Energy schemes approved by organisations such as the Green Party and the CPRE include photovoltaic panels on roofs and brownfield sites, saving on transmission costs by being near main roads and close to where the generated energy is needed.
“We shouldn’t be covering productive farmland or harming highly valued Conservation Areas and protected landscapes” says David “especially in the astonishingly beautiful countryside of North Dorset, which a report commissioned by Dorset Council called: ‘Dorset’s greatest economic asset’.
The Partners who now own the renamed Rubicon People Partnership. All future employees will also be owners.
A privately owned recruitment consultancy is one of just four in the UK – and the only one on the south coast – to be wholly employee-owned.
Rubicon Team
Twenty one years after Rubicon Recruitment Group was acquired by Lloyd Banks and Jocelyn Browne, the Dorset-based business has been sold and handed over to an Employee Ownership Trust.
It means that all 30 employees of the consultancy now own 100 per cent making them custodians of the business for future generations.
All future employees will also become owners.
To reflect the significant development the consultancy has changed its name to Rubicon People Partnership.
Lloyd, 59, remains as Managing Director and says his intention is to “stay on with the business for as long as I’m needed, wanted and able.”
He added: “Jocelyn and I don’t expect to retire for at least five years.”
Of the 6m or so registered businesses in the UK there are fewer than 600 which are employee-owned.
The John Lewis Partnership is the largest employee-owned business in the UK with gross sales of £11.7bn and a workforce of over 80,000 Partners
Dorset businesses Lush and Farrow & Ball are partly owned by their employees.
Lloyd said: “Our business has always prioritised positivity, consistently doing the right thing, integrity, fairness and openness.
“Employee ownership is a natural progression for us.
“Many of my colleagues have worked with me for a long time, and the continuing success of the business, especially during such turbulent times, is a result of an extraordinary team effort.
“Employee ownership rewards that effort whilst ensuring that future successes are reimbursed, and it safeguards the extraordinary culture that drives our business.”
While all of Rubicon’s employees have always helped power the business, employee ownership formalises the arrangement, providing every employee an equal voice at quarterly meetings.
An employee representing the Employee Ownership Trust will sit on the Board.
The employees, who are now known as Partners, will also enjoy an equal share of the business’s profits.
Lloyd, who served in the Metropolitan Police and also the British Army as a Captain in the Royal Engineers as well as Director Operations for Chubb Security, said the question of succession had always been uppermost in his mind.
About two years ago the business – Dorset’s longest established privately owned recruitment consultancy – had come close to being sold to a large facilities company in the security market.
Rubicon Lloyd Banks
Lloyd said: “It was for a good price but as they were doing their due diligence on us, we were doing the same in reverse on them.
“It was clear they were going to do a ‘rip and strip’ of the business and it just didn’t feel right.
“I also took six months away from the business after my wife, Salli, was diagnosed with stage three to four stomach cancer and given just a few months to live.
“The team did an amazing job while I was away and it made me really think about how the business should move onto the next stage.
“Employee ownership felt like a much better fit for me and Rubicon.
“It protects jobs, retains our culture, provides clients with even more confidence in service delivery commitments and will be a catalyst for growth.
“It also gives us additional resilience to face the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
Lloyd, whose wife continues to make a full recovery, said his team were “chuffed to bits” at becoming owners in the business.
Comments received included:
Aimee Branch, Manager, Industrial division: “It just goes to show all of our hard work is being recognised.”
Kas Luksa, Client Development Manager: “It’s going to boost the morale of the entire team especially after the year we’ve had with Covid. It’s a great reward for our hard work.”
Tina Perry, Director, Office division: “We’re leaving a legacy for years and years to come of everything we value and hold close at Rubicon.”
Abs Griffiths, Recruitment Coordinator, Specialist Sectors division: “It highlights the fact that Rubicon has its employees’ best interests at heart and is very forward thinking.”
Ellie Taylor, Senior Recruitment Consultant, Specialist Sectors division: “What an exciting next chapter, having that security and knowing that the brand and legacy of Rubicon will live on is amazing,”
Harriet Friend, Recruitment Consultant, Engineering Division: “It’s so nice to be a part of a business that already values its employees so much. I think this will just reinforce that.”
Lloyd said: “This marks an exciting new chapter for Rubicon.
“Employee-owned companies tend to excel in retaining the best people, attracting talented new staff and engaging employees.
“Those employees in turn drive performance, innovation, and service excellence, with even more opportunity to share in the wealth they create.
“As well as rewarding our existing team and giving them the opportunity to shape the future of the business, we expect our new employee ownership status to attract more talented new colleagues to help us grow.
“Our clients have always known we are a different kind of recruitment business, and now employee ownership is a very visible demonstration of that.”
Lloyd said Rubicon People Partnership, which is on course for an £11m turnover this year, would now be embarking on a ‘Go for Growth’ strategy.
As well as increasing its geographical spread and attracting more clients it was also keen to welcome talented, experienced staff who were interested in joining a wholly employee-owned business.
In a message to his LinkedIn followers, Lloyd said: “It surprises me that more firms don’t travel this route as the evidence shows that becoming employee owned helps businesses become more innovative, resilient, competitive, successful, profitable, and sustainable.
“Employee ownership builds trust and shared responsibility, uniting leaders and employees behind a common purpose which will put businesses in a better position to flex and adapt.
“These are key qualities needed to help businesses recover in the wake of the pandemic related lockdowns.
BSR Energy have submitted a planning application to cover 190 acres of productive farmland with giant solar power station to be sited between Hazelbury Bryan, Mappowder and Pulham in the beautiful heart of Thomas Hardy’s Blackmore ‘Vale of the Little Dairies’. Whilst North Dorset CPRE (NDCPRE) accepts the need for solar energy given the climate emergency, and has not objected to the majority of new solar proposals, it is felt that an industrial development of this size, which is over a mile long, is totally inappropriate. Even the developer’s consultant describes the landscape as “remote and tranquil ….a unique mosaic of woods, straight hedgerows and grassland fields dotted with distinct mature hedgerow oaks”. NDCPRE favours small community-led solar farms with a maximum capacity of 5 MW that can be well-screened from surrounding view points. This is neither, while the government’s clear focus is on cheap offshore windpower rather than expensive solar.
4-Field 11 looking South towards Ball Hill (004) : Image CPRE
Key Concerns:
This site is within the setting of the most beautiful northerly part of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and will be visible from several cherished viewpoints including Woolland hill carpark and much of the Wessex Ridgeway long distance path. A report commissioned by Dorset County Council in 2016 stated: the environment is Dorset’s greatest economic asset and with the expected increase in tourism caused by Covid, there will be ever greater numbers visiting North Dorset. It is the far reaching views from various points along the Ridgeway which give the Dorset AONB its unique character but this development will blight that unspoiled landscape for at least 35 years.
Close to the site and within it are many footpaths and bridleways, including part of the Hardy Way. This will impact on the amenity of the hundreds of local residents who live nearby, and visitors.
Adverse impact on heritage assets is likely with the Hazelbury Bryan Conservation Area nearby, while the damage to cultural heritage is incalculable given the significance of this part of the Blackmore Vale to Hardy’s writing. BSR’s environmental Consultant notes an important archaeological site with the potential for the presence of archaeological remains in the northernmost field, and it is likely that any buried artefacts will be damaged by the driving in of 2m piles.
Other concerns include flooding, as the river Lydden flows close by the site, and access. There will be over 22 HGV lorry movements per day on a narrow track bordered by protected oak trees for a period of many months, and it is inevitable that damage will occur. There are numerous protected species onsite, such as Great Crested Newts, so there are ecological concerns too.
Friends of Stour Connect are pleased to announce the re-opening of our community projects in line with the Government roadmap
For the past 12 months or so, our concentration has been on the Covid 19 Action Group, where we played a major role, and whilst we are still assisting with food parcels, collection of prescriptions, and many other tasks, now feels the right time to safely re open.
The following projects have or will be re- opened.
Connect to Employment, our specific employability and life skills scheme for people with additional needs. Free places still available. This scheme is delivered with qualified volunteers, and individual learning and skills programmes for attendees
Community Café, open Monday to Thursday 8.30am til 1.30pm. Including our new Social Breakfast every Monday morning (all welcome). Discounts for NHS, Care staff, carers, teaching staff and posties by way of a thank you.
Twice but Nice, charity shop, open Monday to Thursday 8.30 am til 2pm. Great range and fantastic prices. Donations always welcomed. Monies raised go straight to our projects.
Mens Shed Stour, a friendship project for all based on woodworking, recycling and repairs. New members welcome. Open Tuesdays and Thursdays each week
Life is for Living, a café/gardening project for people with memory loss/ a diagnosis of dementia. New referrals welcomed. This project re-opens 19th May 2021. We have provided this service via Computers and Phone over the lockdowns and our attendee numbers have increased.
Our very successful Meals on Wheels scheme has provided for increasing numbers of local people (across North Dorset) during the lockdowns, thanks to the support from our wonderful delivery volunteers. Through our fundraising we have been able to provide increasing numbers of meals for free or at discounted prices. This has assisted people with hospital discharge, as well as assisting carers. We are happy to deliver occasional meals or daily meals. Please phone for details.
We hope that roadmap leads us into better times, particularly as we have more community-based projects in the planning, and details of these will be released shortly.
We touched on earlier the importance of our volunteers to us, and we had such a fabulous response to the initial lockdown. As we re-open we could always do with more volunteers. So, if you are looking to volunteer in a friendly, fabulous supportive environment please get in touch.
Looking across some of the 30 acres of Langham Wine Estate. In the Aube region of Champagne, in Sancerre and Chablis, there is Kimmeridgian and Portlandian soil; familiar Dorset names, making the terroir at Crawthorne Farm perfect for classic varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Image: Courtenay Hitchcock
Sitting in the sheltered courtyard under an unseasonably hot April sun, gazing across the gentle slopes of the vineyard, listening to the quiet hum of conversation, I could almost believe I was enjoying a sneaky French trip.
Instead, I was enjoying a beautiful glass of award-winning sparkling wine just outside Milborne St Andrew.
Last year, out of 700 wines, Langham Wine Estate won one of the most prestigious awards a winemaker can win – the International Wine & Spirit Competition Sparkling Wine Producer of the Year 2020.
I’ll be honest – I hadn’t leaped to accept the invitation to tour the vineyard. Whilst I love a bottle of bubbles as much as the next woman, there’s a reason Sadie writes our wine column (and her wife Hannah picks our wine – perfectly – from our vague descriptions of what we like). I am not a wine connoisseur. The subtleties of the craft of winemaking are probably lost on me, and I wasn’t sure I’d do Langhams the justice they deserve.
But. Being a wine connoisseur is not my job, and I’m never embarrassed to acknowledge what I don’t know (how else do we learn?). What I do know is that there is a lot of stigma around vineyards – impressive, intimidating places, many people won’t visit for fear of being looked down upon.
So I pulled on my big girl pants, and headed for lunch at the vineyard.
What a smart person I am.
The wine tour was absolutely brilliant – if you know nothing about wine production it’s a fascinating introduction to the dark mystical arts. If you know your grapes, it’s still a fascinating introduction to the dark mystical arts. Because every vineyard is different (that’s the magic – I know, I read Sadie’s column every month, I’m learning), and every winemaker works in a different way. The tour was endlessly interesting, and I have a notebook filled with random little snippets and facts, from the homemade barrel storage to the hand labelling of the bottles – Head Winemaker Tommy Grimshaw assured us he and his winery assistant could manage 1,500 of them a day.
When we had seen the winemaking process from the barely-budding vines through to the finished labelled bottle, we stepped out to the courtyard to try some.
Barrel Storage in the Winery. Image: Courtenay Hitchcock
What was stand out for me on the tour was the dynamic enthusiasm from the young team. Everyone was deeply passionate about what they’re doing. Also, not once did I feel foolish – there appeared to be no stupid questions, just the joy of sharing knowledge and delight in a questioner’s curiosity.
Lunch was served through the tasting (I’m not going to give wine notes here. And yes, lobster was on the menu…), and I had the pleasure of sharing a table with Vineyard Manager Olly Whitfield. I appreciated that he swiftly moved the conversation from his level of expertise (vast) to mine (limited), and explained ‘we don’t teach people what to taste at Langham – we teach them how to taste’.
A sunny Courtyard lunch at Langham Vineyard. Image: Courtenay Hitchcock
He regaled us with stories of his career path as a winemaker which has brought him to managing the vineyard, “glorious on a sunny day, but not so much fun hand-pruning 40,000 vines in January.” There was also much concern about the risk of frost later in the week, and the damage this would do to the newly-forming buds upon which the entire season’s crop will rely.
Olly also praised owner Justin Langham, who he said ‘is exceptionally tolerant of new ideas. Many vineyards are rigid workplaces, only operating in one tried and trusted format, and rarely risking an experiment. Perhaps because we’re a young vineyard, we’re quite experimental, and Justin encourages that. He listens to our suggestions, asks us to explain why – and often says “okay, you convinced me. Let’s do it. It’s an exciting place to be”.
A picnic with a view – breaks in the thick hedgrow make for a perfect picnic spot. Image: Courtenay Hitchcock
The vineyard began offering outdoor picnics during 2020 as a way to pivot whilst usual business was suspended. These proved so popular they have become a permanent feature – collect the ready-packaged picnic and enjoy it amongst the vines at one of the tables set into the hedgerows (private hedge dining at his best), or simply stay in the warm sunny courtyard. You can add a self-guided tour for just £10pp, but why not opt for one of the guided tours for £20pp – a vastly more enriching experience. Tours take around 2 hours, with a walk round the vineyard and winery with a member of staff, followed by a tutored tasting of three award winning wines. In addition to tours, tastings and the Vineyard Café there are regular events in the barn throughout the year; the middle of May finally sees the relaunch of the popular ‘Fizz Friday’ and ‘Seafood Saturday’ evening events, with themed food plus live music.
Visit the website https://langhamwine.co.uk/ to pre-book picnics and tours, to check opening times for the café and also for tickets to the live events.
May is such a beautiful month. Not only have the trees leafed-up in every shade of green imaginable, but the banks along rural Dorset lanes are a riot of colour as our native wildflowers come into bloom. Bluebells, Greater stitchwort, Yellow archangel, Red campion (which is actually pink, not red) Primrose, Cow Parsley, Wild Garlic, and many more. All vie for our attention, putting on a show that is surely worthy of a Chelsea ‘Best in Show’.
And it gets better, for any day now Hawthorn, known also as Whitethorn, May or Haegthorn (meaning hedge thorn) will add a froth of delicate creamy-white blossoms to the mix…
Hawthorn (Crataegus) is one of the mainstays, if not the mainstay, of our native hedgerows. It also copes well on exposed hillsides, where its twisted branches become shaped and angled by the prevailing south westerly winds. Though it can live up to 400 years, Hawthorn never grows very tall. The cut wood has a beautiful orange hue, but is rarely used for making furniture or decorative items as it is considered bad luck to cut it down. It is also bad luck to pick the flowers before the first of May. When they first appear, the tiny round pearly buds hang in clusters amongst deeply lobed, pale green leaves, giving the impression of a liberal sprinkling of creamy-white hailstones. But when fully open, the branches and leaves are almost completely obscured by the snowy-white flowers, cascading in waterfalls towards the ground till you feel the branches will surely break under their weight.
Each flower comprises five snowy-white, dish shaped petals, speckled with dark pink-tipped stamens which become darker (almost brown) within 24 hours of the flower opening, and standing proud at the centre of each flower, a pale yellow-green stigma. The individual flowers are exquisite, but easily lost in the sheer mass of blooms that cover the hedge, or tree.
But lest I get carried away by the beauty of Hawthorn, let me tell you she is more than just a pretty face. Nesting birds and small mammals find protection deep inside the thorny hedge, and the berries (haws) provide much needed winter food for blackbirds and thrushes – so long as migrating redwings and fieldfares don’t reach them first! Hawthorn also provides food for over 150 species of insect including bees, so is a valuable addition to a wildlife garden if you have space.
