Le rouge et le noir/The red and the black

It's that time of mellow fruitfulness again. Even after a poor summer there are rich pickings in the hedgerows.

How well do you know your berries? This might be a challenge for those not in the UK but here are a selection from within half a mile of my house.

Starting in the middle is the familiar blackberry. Directly above it are hips and haws, below it rowan and honeysuckle.

Then, top left elderberry, bottom left wayfaring tree. Top right sloes, bottom right arum or cuckoo pint.

All these berries are edible to something - that's their function, as a way of dispersing seeds - but cuckoo pint and honeysuckle are not palatable for humans.

All the rest can be put to use for jellies, syrups or flavouring alcohol. Berried treasure!