Quickset

Blackthorn blossom time is almost past it's peak at the end of March, now it's the turn of the cherry trees. Blackthorn was the main tree that landowners planted to make hedgerows during the Georgian land-grab by which a lot of open or common land was made into fields in the name of agricultural efficiency. In my lifetime we have lost most of our hedgerows due to the same goal but, thankfully, hedgerows are back in fashion, which will be of great benefit to wildlife. Classic hedgerow birds include dunnocks, yellowhammers, whitethroats, blackbirds, song-thrushes, goldfinches and long-tailed tits but many more creatures live in the hedge, under it or close by.

Blackthorn hedge at Paxton Pits

The Parliamentary Enclosures created a huge demand for blackthorn whips because the plant grows quickly and makes a thick tangle of thorns that, after a few years, is a strong enough barrier to contain cattle and sheep. Quickset is another name for blackthorn, which is also called sloe after its bitter fruit that is used to flavour gin.

The Brampton area became the main producer of quickset for hedging in the East Midlands with the centre of production (I think) being around River Lane and the south side of the High Street. In those days the hedges contained only blackthorn but other trees gradually added themselves to the mature hedges as birds and animals dispersed the seeds.

In the 1960s Dr. Max Hooper discovered that he could date a hedge by the number of woody species in a 30 yard stretch, so a length of hedge containing blackthorn, hawthorn, ash and elm, for example, would be 400 years old. However, hedges planted today are grown from a hedgerow mix that may also contain spindle, hazel, dogwood, wayfaring tree, guelder rose and field maple, so don't be fooled.

Blackthorn blossom

Where I live, the first blossom each year is on bullace plum trees but the blackthorn is never far behind and they even hybridise. They both blossom before their leaves sprout whereas hawthorn produces its leaves first and does not flower for a another month. It's a risky business flowering so early in the year as there may be late frosts and no pollinating insects about. Strong winds in early March often blow a lot of the blossom off the trees, in fact a "blackthorn winter" is the name given to a late cold or stormy spell in March. I like to think the name might refer to the snowy drifts of blossom along woodland edges and old trackways.

The tough wood of blackthorn makes excellent walking sticks, especially if a bulging warty knot is used for the handle. The spines that are so good for deterring livestock make pruning quite tricky and even a small prick always seems to become infected. No gloves are thick enough, in my experience.