One of the first hedgerow shrubs to flower in spring is the blackthorn. Usually in flower before the end of March and for about three weeks or so the hedgerows look as though they have had a heavy dusting of flour!
Blackthorn is unique in that the flowers come before the leaves whereas the other hedgerow shrubs are all the other way round. Blackthorn is invariably the first to flower as well.
Close up the flowers are really lovely; pure white petals with what, at first, seems to be two small black dots on each. The black dots are, in fact the tips (or anthers) of the white stamens. Early insects will pollinate these flowers to give us sloes in the autumn.
A colder winter means that the blackthorn is a little later flowering in the year. When we get a cold snap in spring it brings to mind the country saying of it being a 'Blackthorn winter'.
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