The hedgerows are displaying a lot of white at the moment.
But in spite of the freezing cold weather it is not snow. If you look more carefully you’ll notice it’s made up of white blossoms.
In fact the hedgerows lining the roads on the way to Henley and Maidenhead are full of these flowering bushes.
I enjoy it so much when the blackthorn comes into flower. They are so delicate, dainty and perfect, and appear to be so vulnerable exposed on these leafless, bare twigs.
Yesterday we braved an icy wind coming straight from Siberia to search out one of our favourite areas of the Berkshire countryside we always make an effort to see at this time of year.
On entering the wood starting our walk we saw a massive mound of sawn off beech timber.
This should have given us a clue of what lay ahead, but we merely surmised that the wood was finally being managed for its own good, to keep it healthy for years to come.
We searched out our favourite hedgerow, which we knew would yield a fantastic display of blackthorn blossom.
But, we were greeted with the most horrific crew cut, all the beautiful bushes gone, not a bloom in sight.
Definitely the land had been bought up by a new owner, keen to make his mark on the countryside, and all he saw was a messy, overgrown hedge badly in need of sorting out.
So back home through a colour washed out wood, with only a young beech tree’s last year’s leaves gleaming through the gloom.
We were bitterly disappointed. The sight of a brilliantly white hedgerow displaying its beauty would have lifted our hearts – but not this day.
Here’s a motley crew! White is associated with spring, but as furry, feathery and frothy?
Pussy willow isn’t really white, but the grey is pale enough. I love stroking them as they bud forth from their brown, dry sticks.
Heather has a pink tinge, but always has a cheery prospect. There’s something comforting about these little bell flowers.
Now is this blackthorn or winter cherry? My husband and I can never agree. This came from an established tree, so it might be the latter.
Here’s a mish-mash of white flowers.
Daisies are supposed to be summer flowers, but this common lawn weed will take the chance to flower wherever and whenever conditions are suitable.
The blackthorn certainly will flower earlier than its hedgerow counterparts, and it’s always a delight when the first blooms appear. (I’m sure I’ll be mentioning it again later.)
And I’ve noticed the laurel is getting very frisky with its flowers already, although I’m sure I remember its heady scent overwhelming me later in the year. From what I have seen, it’s going to be a bumper year for the laurel.
I’ve been thinking for some time about writing a blog about the things I see on my country walks with my husband. Every time we go out there is always something exciting to see, as nature never stands still, and is always changing, developing, moving on to the next phase.
Of course a blog like this will certainly benefit from photographs, as I realised as we examined some red new growth on a hedgerow and investigated a white dead nettle that dared to flower on the 1 January. Certainly not only will it show examples of what I want to write about, but also proof that such and such has happened, whether it is out of the ordinary or just matter of fact.
Last year was so wet, following a dry winter, that there was so little berries for autumn show, and I fretted about the wildlife that depend on these fruits to survive throughout the winter months. But so far we haven’t had any snow, just rain and mud, so there is a good chance they will find something to tide them over.
We were able to recognise the empty bushes of the wayfayrers tree and the spines of the blackthorn, all devoid of their fruit at this stage. And also the intertwining of a beech and a ash as they grew so close together their trunks have fused in many places as each encircles the other in their journey skywards.
I will also search our garden as the year progresses, as of today my husband pointed out two sets of primroses, one white and one yellow, that have already flowered. This certainly supersedes the snowdrop green spikes that are customary at this time of year. But do I mention the yellow stars of our winter jasmine or the pink blossom of the viburnum that always graces us throughout the winter? Yes, since they are present on New Year’s Day, they deserve an introduction.
And of course I shall be watching the witch hazel and camellias in our garden for when they decided to put on a show.
Watching nature while walking 