On the Way to Reading

On the way to Reading again. The verges still have daisies and dandelions on them, but these have been joined by oxford ragwort, field buttercups with long stems and cheerful poppies bright and red, and standing out against the yellow, green and white.

Roadside hedgerows are high with overgrown bushes and trees in full leaf. Between the trees we catch a glimpse of the English countryside beyond: a patchwork of green fields with the odd yellow one, each neatly edged with hedges in different shades of green.

It is an overcast day with overlapping layers of cloud from white to the darkest grey.

Roadside verges are being cut, and I wonder how necessary this really is. The cost must be very high as lanes have been coned off by teams of men in vehicles before any cutting takes place, and then all the cones have to be removed again afterward. I much prefer edgings of wildflowers to neat lawn-like edges.

Joining the M25, I was delighted to see a large patch of pink campion, and shortly after, long swathes of English bluebells dark blue and bowing their fragrant heads – absolutely wonderful and what a great idea to plant them there. I just hope nobody decides to trim these verges while they are in bloom.

Here and there we see a blackbird, beak full and still trying to pack more in to fill the young gapes waiting in the nests. Three crows loitered by the roadside – I could not see any road kill, perhaps they were just hopeful.

Bright yellow laburnum and delicate pink and white apple blossom can be seen from time to time. I suppose the laburnum has grown from seeds dropped by birds and apple trees have sprung from discarded apple cores.

The hawthorns are covered in blossom and seem to be the predominant tree in the hedgerows. Interestingly, they are all white so far, not a single pink one yet. I’m glad to see so many – they are home to many insects, and in the autumn and winter laden with haws providing a welcome larder for both birds and mammals. Another name for haws is bread and cheese; when I was a child and sent to fetch the shopping after school , I was often hungry and ate haws from trees along the way, eating them like apples and discarding the centre. They were not very filling, but were always welcome.

We saw one beautiful pink ornamental tree laden with flowers, and on the M4, we passed a stretch of rhododendron bushes that were huge and covered with flowers in shades of mauve, pink and red – wonderful. Further along, we saw two fields of white horses. We always look out for them because they are an unusual, but much enjoyed sight. Spring must be wonderful for these creatures with all the fresh green growth. For us, it is more challenging, because with all that new growth it can be harder to see what creatures are in the fields behind.

Interestingly, we only saw one pigeon and it was dead by a roadside in Hertfordshire.