The Mayflower Is Out

[hc4361]

on the hawthorn trees. To me it smells of rotting bodies, especially very early in the morning.
Some people say it smells of almonds/marzipan.

What does it smell like to you?

[boxtops]

I love it, hc, it's something I look forward to every year - it's been blooming for about two weeks down here. To me it smells of almond blancmange, I can't get enough of it.

[seadogg]

Me too boxie, we have a gorge running down towards the beach which is solid blackthorn and the vivid white colour of the blossom and aroma are stunning at this time of year. When its dead it burns with a hot flame and the woodburner is never hotter.

[hc4361]

It's strange how people perceive the scent so differently. It looks like heavy snow on the treetops in the field at the bottom of my garden.

[seadogg]

How are you with wild garlic hc...........?

[inquisition]

Well it's flaming cold in Devon, I shan't be casting any clouts yet!
Ink'

[seadogg]

Interesting, I thought that was a Northern expression.

[Chipchopper]

To me it has the essence of the awakening of spring and fertility and I always think of blackbirds nesting.

Every year I munch on some of the flowers in bud (knots) its good for the hard.

Well seasoned logs have a high heat output.

When I used to do hedge laying the smell of the wood seemed to hang in my nostrils for days afterwoods.

[Chipchopper]

Oop's ^Heart ^

[Graham-W]

Nere cast a clout 'til May be out.
i.e. Never remove any clothing until the May blossom is out.

[hc4361]

I love the blackthorn, it flowers much earlier than the hawthorn and produces sloes. It's one of the first signs of spring for me.

[Chipchopper]

Nothing like a nip of sloe gin to warm you on a winters day!

[237SJ]

I was surrounded by the stuff when I lived in the middle of the country in Devon. Personally, I don`t like the smell of it. There are some nice smells from various blossoms but Mayflower isn`t one of them IMO

[hc4361]

Hurrah! Glad I'm not the only one, 237SJ.

[heathfield]

Be another couple of weeks till it's out round my way. In the meantime, I shan't be casting any clouts either.

[Tilly2]

It isn't doing my hay fever much good!

[woofgang]

Its funny how things give different reactions. I love the smell of elderflowers but my neighbour hates it.

[boxtops]

I like elderflower too, I think it's the mustiness of both of them which appeals to me.

hc - thankfully for me, I have never smelled a dead body, so I can't draw a comparison.....

[Chipchopper]

I like the smell of elder flowers too, its also good for keeping flies away.
At one time, they used to drape cheese cloths over elder bushes, that grew outside of dairies, the antiseptic qualities kept the cloths fresh and clean.