Springtime at Hope Bagot

Springtime at Hope Bagot

 

We have seen some lovely Spring weather in April after a long, wet and windy Winter season.  We are very lucky to be able to sit out the lockdown in such a beautiful place, with so much to see all around us, unlike some of our regular guests who are in flats in big cities.

 

The blossom on our fruit trees has been some of the best and heaviest we have ever seen; the plum blossom is just going over but the apple blossom is just starting to come out.  The bees are busy all day in the sun.  We hope that in due season this will bring a bumper crop of fruit.   Now the hawthorn is coming out in all the hedgerows, too, and the air is heavy with its familiar scent that can be almost overpowering on warm still days.  Hawthorn – May Blossom – was one of the flowers associated with the fairies, and the old country people would never have it in the house.  It would offend the fairy kind and bring terribly bad luck on the household.

 

The bluebell season, too, is just starting and although we have very few on our own smallholding, there are many growing in the woods and hedge rows.

 

While restrictions last, our guests are unable to share these things in person, but we can at least share some pictures with you  in the hope that you can come and see these glorious things for yourselves next year.