Easter (Ostara) time and the, Hawthorn Flowers
Crataegus monogyna, Common hawthorn, County Kilkenny
Nature Photography : Nigel Borrington
Easter(Ostara) time and Hawthorn flowers
In my last post I hinted that I was going to take a little time off over the Easter holidays, sometime away from my phone or laptop and get outside as much as possible, its spring time here and after all our winter storms the landscape is returning to life with colour and wildlife in full flow.
Yesterday I took some time to do some long walks, just myself and Molly our Golden retriever, around many of county Kilkenny’s paths and country lanes.
Each Easter here one of the first signs of Spring and Summer is the Hawthorn flowers, Hawthorn is a very popular form of hedging in the county and all the road side and field hedges turn to white as the flowers bloom.
The images here I hope show just how white and full these flowers are, its a wonderful sight each year and really lets you know that summer is only just around the corner..
Hawthorn Flowers : Gallery
Nigel Borrington 
Lovely little flowers, Nigel. It would be wonderful to see hedgerows of these, full of fragrance and insects and other harbingers of spring! 🙂
April 17, 2014 at 12:31 pm
Hello Sharon 🙂 🙂
It’s a wonderful feeling to see them after a long winter and it almost takes you by sunrise each time 🙂 Spring is in full flight !!!! 🙂
April 17, 2014 at 5:21 pm
Gorgeous gallery Nigel! : )))
April 17, 2014 at 1:03 pm
Hello Anne 🙂
Thank you so much 🙂 🙂
I hope it reminds you of Home a little anyway !!!
Very pleased you enjoyed 🙂 🙂
April 17, 2014 at 5:22 pm
These are lovely and show the details so well
April 17, 2014 at 9:52 pm
Absolutely gorgeous. Want.
April 17, 2014 at 10:47 pm
delicate and prickly 🙂
Everything seems to be hurrying along it would be easy to miss something if you don’t head out … enjoy the weekend tramping out with Molly 🙂
April 17, 2014 at 11:04 pm
Such pretty flowers and wonderful clarity Nigel 🙂
April 19, 2014 at 9:56 am
Nice pictures, but blackthorn, I thiink.
April 27, 2014 at 1:58 pm
Hello Simon 🙂 🙂
Thank you , I will check – many thanks 🙂 🙂 🙂
April 28, 2014 at 3:57 pm
Hi, great comment Simon and very helpful 🙂 🙂
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Common_hawthorn_flowers.jpg looking again some of the pictures do look like this flowers some don’t !!!
So it could be that this hedgerow is mixed and most of the leafs are still only in bud , next time I am passing I should have more to work with as its about 3 week later now !!!
Many thanks Simon , its great to get more help 🙂 🙂 🙂
April 28, 2014 at 4:05 pm
Trees and flowering is so variable, but hawthorn flowers come after leaves have opened, blackthorn just before. The leaf buds here look simple like blackthorn, not deeply lobed like hawthron. Of course, easy enough to tell by smell: blackthorn nowhere. near as deeply pungent as hawthorn….don’t tend to take enough time to count stamens and petals etc. but a good way at clear ID.
April 28, 2014 at 9:33 pm