Walking up through the garden this morning, an infusion of wild garlic hung in the air. Distinctive, fresh, with a curative affect on the respiratory system, a clear indication that May is upon us and that the woods are ribboned with swathes of lime and white wild garlic amongst the lapis bluebell glades. Less pungent than the familiar bulbs, these delicate flowers make a welcome accompaniment to salads and soups; a forager's delight!
The garden is simply beautiful at this time of year; buds held back by the Arctic blast have burst open, seeming to hare along to make up for lost time. The steely buzz of a chain saw reverberates through the locale; tree surgeons are felling a precarious tree, guilty of overhanging the lane, intimidating the balance and growth of the unfurling copper beech. Within a morning the skyline is forever changed; delicate beech branches now stretch skyward, etching their form against the dove grey clouds. The woodland is a hive of activity, where there is always work to be done, plants and animals to nurture and protect for the generations yet to come! The trunk of the old tree is now being loaded into a trailer, to journey 100 metres to the woodshed, where it will be logged and seasoned. In no time, once again the days will shorten, then we will welcome the warmth of the spring wood on the fire.
