Spanning the Seasons

I love the old country names of our plants, often so apt because of their look alike qualities. Here are two that fit the bill nicely, growing together and spanning the seasons.

Lambs Tail Catkins and Old Man's Beard.

Lambs tails are one of the first heralds of spring they are the male, pollen producing part of the Hazel tree, shake them and a cloud of pollen will fill the air. They are at the begining of the reproductive cycle that culminates in the Hazel nut.

Old Man's Beard is the seed of the the wild form of clematis, the grey hairy part helps to disperse the seed, as the wind will blow them away from the parent, the hairs also catch on wild animals passing by who unknowingly spread the seeds.
Old Man's Beard appears in late autumn and drops from the plant any time now.

The wild clematis is also known as Travellers Joy.
I remember at school being told that this name went back to Iron Age Britain, when the main paths kept to the hill tops, rather than following valleys. This plant grows on chalkland, so travellers would follow the plants, knowing they were following the chalk hills.
I can find no reference to this legend today, however I like the story even if there is no substance to it.