Blackthorn blossom

Best to *go large*

The blossom appears before the leaves. The first blossom to be seen in hedgerows at this time of year. Blackthorn supports 153 species of wildlife, moths especially. If you have a garden hedge/fence, plant it, birds love nesting in it's secure branches of prickles. The bitter fruits it produces are round blue-black berries known as sloes, and are used to make sloe gin. It was believed that Christ's Crown of Thorns was made from Blackthorn.

Himself:

Larry on top form

Dullsville today, so I began to despair about blip... but managed to find the blackthorn blossom winking at me in the back hedge... all fine after that! ;-) xxx