May in the country
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SEA OF BLOOMS
Bluebells ripple beneath oak and ash trees beside Roseberry Topping, a striking 320-metre-high hill in the North York Moors National Park. Resembling a cresting wave, this popular walking destination o ers splendid views over the landscape. In the shaded woodland, walkers can drink in the quieter delights of bobbing bluebells, winding paths, birdsong and whispering wildlife.
FORMIDABLE FALCON
With its salt-and-pepper underside and russet ‘trousers’, an adult hobby cuts a dash while hunting over a reedbed at RSPB Lakenheath Fen in Su olk. These acrobatic birds of prey are summer migrants and are fast and agile enough to catch swifts, swallows and dragonflies in flight.
SPRING IN THE STEP
Rag Morris, a Bristol University morris side, brims with energy and vibrant colour while celebrating May Day in Wottonunder-Edge, Gloucestershire, with a dance that originates from the Cotswold Hills. The troop wears bright rag shirts and bells, inspired by the traditional costume of the Welsh Borders.
TRUE BLUE
Lightly resting on reeds, these beautiful bejewelled insects are common blue damselflies. The species spends most of its life as larvae (nymphs) in lakes, streams and garden ponds, preying on insects and other small creatures. They crawl from the water and emerge as adults in April and are on the wing until September.
GO WITH THE FLOW
Known as Pistyll Rhyd-y-meinciau, or Rhiwargor Waterfall, this plunging cascade in Montgomeryshire is formed by the River Eiddew as it tumbles down the valley towards the northern end of Lake Vyrnwy through woodland and heather-clad slopes. There’s an easy walk from Rhiwargor car park – if you’re lucky, you will happen to visit after a bout of heavy rain, when the tall falls are in full spate.
Nature news
BLOWSY BORDERS AND FLOURISHING FARMS
The National Garden Scheme (NGS) has long celebrated perfect lawns and flowery herbaceous borders. These traditional gardens do an important job of bolstering the biodiversity of an area, but this spring and summer, the NGS is broadening its floral horizons by opening wildflower meadows and woodlands, as well as farms. Down in Dorset, three farms embracing rewilding projects will push their gates open to the public, including Hooke Farm (11–12 June, adults £8, children £4), Wyke Farm (18–19 June, adults £8, children free) and Hogchester Farm (25 June, 16 July, adults £4, children £1). The first NGS gardens open in April: ngs.org.uk
Countryfile on TV
Sunday 17 April, BBC One and iPlayer
In this Easter special, John Craven journeys to the village of Sellack in Herefordshire to find out how a 15th-century parish feud solved by the giving of cakes is still celebrated today. Rev Crispin Pemberton tells John how the vicar of the time handed out Pax (peace) cakes to cool down simmering rivalries between the churches of Kings Caple and Sellack. John samples locally made Pax cakes still given out at Easter today. On a walk between the two churches, John meets Morris men to revive the ancient field blessing called Corn Showing, then learns about the local Easter custom of dressing graves with primroses, also called the Easter rose.
What’s on this spring?
TOP 1O EVENTS AND FESTIVALS
Marsden Cuckoo Festival, 22–23 April Welcome the arrival of the cuckoo to West Yorkshire with processions, maypoles and Morris dancing. Our Place in Space, 22 April–16 October Immerse yourself in an epic scale model of the solar system, incorporating a 10km three-dimensional sculpture trail in Northern Ireland and Cambridge. BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair, 29 April– 1 May This year’s fair in the New Forest delivers showcase gardens, plant sales and expert tours.
Climb Lake District, 29 April–1 May Wild swim, wild camp and rock climb over a weekend of mountain skills sessions for outdoor lovers (above). Helston Flora Day, 8 May The Furry Dance and Hal-an-Tow Pageant are highlights at this Cornish celebration of vitality and fertility. Chelsea Flower Show, 24–28 May The world’s greatest flower show returns with stunning garden designs, gorgeous floral displays and pop-up shops. Orkney Folk Festival, 26–29 May Visit Stromness as it comes alive with folk music from around the world. Hay Festival, 26 May–5 June Join thousands of fellow writers and readers for a vibrant line-up of nature and wildlife events in the book town of Hay-on-Wye in Wales.
Kew Summer Cycle, May onwards
Pedal among Kew’s enchanted woodlands and beautiful blooms (above). Ban Mountain Film Festival, during 2022 The world’s most prestigious mountain film festival on a UK tour, with stories from Scotland’s Highlands.
Great Stag Hunt
With the help of the public, the People’s Trustfor Endangered Species has been recording Britain’s largest beetle for 20 years. The surveys keep an eye on numbers and give the best advice on saving them. Join the hunt in late May, when these charismatic creatures emerge for a few weeks to mate. Record sightings at ptes.org
Wise buys
PERFECT PICNIC KIT
CHEERY PICNIC BLANKET
Explore the great outdoors in style with this luxurious folding picnic blanket, with water-resistant outer and woollen inner. £140, socosy.co.uk
UNPAPER TOWELS
Marley’s Monsters’ rainbow cotton towels, with their bold and graphic prints, are designed to be reused and washed. £20, peacewiththewild.co.uk
BAMBOO FIBRE PLATES
These hard-wearing, eco-friendly plates are made from sustainably sourced bamboo fibre, corn starch and resin, suitable for indoor and outdoor use. £8.50, wearthlondon.com
LUNCH POT ORIGINAL
Store your breakfast and lunch in two separate pots, which slot easily together. Includes a stainless-steel spork. £21.95, black-blum.com
On the plot
Jobs for the garden with Rekha Mistry
What a lovely way to welcome May. Da odil’s buttery yellow petals and tulip’s vibrant cups brighten up the plot with their swaying stems, like waves of greeting arms from long-missed friends. There’s the emergence of seedlings, and even the parakeets seem more active than usual as they fly in and out of their nests in the oak tree, feeding their newly hatched younglings. But the main thing on my radar is pest control. The warm greenhouse, packed with plants waiting to be moved outside, is an inviting prospect for whitefly and green aphids. I push open the rickety door to help ventilate the room, keeping it open all day and shutting it at night to conserve the heat. On the plot, broad beans host the first black bean aphids. My timely reminder to start applying a weekly soapy liquid wash behind their leaves (mix a little mild dishwashing liquid with water and spray). As I pass the apple tree, a quick glance inside the codling moth trap; it’s doing its sticky job. Strawberry plants are coming into fruition and slugs are sure to be sharpening their rasping teeth, too. I set beer traps to draw them out early. That’s the garden pests sorted. Before I go, I mustn’t forget to sow parsnip and savoy cabbage seeds. Oh dear, summer hasn’t even begun and I am already planning winter!
Rekha Mistry is a garden writer and recipe developer. Discover more inspiration at rekhagardenkitchen.com
ID guide
NINE COMMON ORCHIDS
Orchid hunting is always a thrill, sometimes with a hint of magic. Their dust-like seeds, carried on the wind, mean that these charismatic wildflowers can appear almost anywhere.
BEE
Flowers mimicking female bees attract male bees, to pollinate the flower, but British populations usually self-pollinate. Widespread; range extending northwards.
FLY
Easily overlooked in chalk downland and woodland, its small flowers, resembling flies, are pollinated by digger wasps. Widespread in southern England.
PYRAMIDAL
Its dense, strawberry-icecream-coloured cone of flowers becomes cylindrical with age. Found in limestone grassland and coastal dune slacks. Pollinated by moths.
COMMON SPOTTED
With dark spotted leaves and tapering inflorescences in shades of pink with purple lines, this appears in grassland and woodland, at times in large numbers.
FRAGRANT
Sweetly scented, attracting butterflies and moths that drink from a long nectar spur behind each flower, this is found in calcareous grassland across the UK.
MARSH HELLEBORINE
Large, exotic flowers in showy spikes grow among dunes and in marshy habitats around England and Wales. Visited by flies, solitary bees, wasps and small beetles.
EARLY PURPLE
Usually the first to bloom, often in bluebell woods, this attracts bees but has no nectar. Visitors discover the deceit after pollinating the flowers. Widespread.
GREATER BUTTERFLY
The tall, graceful spike of widely spaced, long-spurred white flowers rises from a pair of leaves. Its powerful dusk scent attracts long-tongued moths.
GREEN WINGED
Sensational en masse among cowslips in old pasture, this is dainty with unspotted leaves. Sepals and petals form greenveined bonnet over flowers. Pollinated by bumblebees.
A taste of May
GRILLED NEW-POTATO SALAD
May sees the first crop of new potatoes. I like to grill them with spring onions and gem lettuce – which turns extra flavoursome and juicy when charred – and dress the lot with a punchy buttermilk and English mustard dressing.
INGREDIENTS
• 800g small new potatoes, skin on is fine
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 150g sour cream
• 100g buttermilk (or plain yoghurt with a bit of milk)
• Small bunch parsley, half very finely chopped, half roughly chopped
• Half tsp of English mustard, or more to taste
• Half lemon, or more to taste (or use cider vinegar)
• 3 little gem lettuces, cut into wedges, stems intact
• 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and cut in half
METHOD
1. Boil the potatoes in well-salted water for 10–12 mins until tender. Drain, then toss in 1 tbsp olive oil.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, mix the sour cream, buttermilk, finely chopped parsley and the mustard. Season well with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice or cider vinegar. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Toss the gem wedges, spring onions and a big pinch of salt in the remaining olive oil.
4. Heat a grill pan or BBQ to very hot and grill the gem and spring onions until nicely charred and wilting just a little. The spring onions will take slightly longer than the lettuce (about four mins). Remove from the grill and arrange on a serving plate.
5. Grill the potatoes over a high heat until they have charred nicely in places. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the grill and add to the grilled spring onions and lettuce.
6. To serve, spoon over with the dressing and add the roughly chopped parsley.
Claire Thomson is a chef and food writer. Discover more seasonal recipe ideas at 5oclockapron.com
Four fabulous apps to inspire your next trip outdoors…
GEOCACHING
Join the world’s largest treasure hunt. geocaching.com
OS MAPS
Discover new walking, running and biking routes. explore.osmaps.com
PICTURE THIS
Identify plants and learn how to care for them. picturethisai.com
BIRDNET
Recognise Britain’s birds by recording their song. birdnet.cornell.edu