Our Woodland World is Sleeping
But look, and there are tiny signs of new life
FLORA AND FAUNA AND THE FOREST WORLD
1/23/20252 min read
This the dead end of the year. Days may in fact be getting longer, but there is little comfort yet, as all the colour is drained from the countryside around us. Even the lingering golden brown leaves of the oak trees have grown dull , while the distant mountains of the Escandorgue look dark and ominous, and are swathed in mist.
But look carefully and you will see tiny signs of life in our dull surroundings. Here are a few
In spite of its unpleasant name, and poisonous form, the stinking hellebore is a thing of beauty. Even before the end of the year you may see one or two delicate lime green flowers pushing up from their evergreen starry beds. They are barely coloured, save for a tiny red fringe on the flowers as they open up and hang their heads like shy maidens. These are our very first forest flowers of the year, and I love them.
The Stinking Hellebore.
One of the loveliest things about our forest in spring is the scent of the genista hispanica. These insignificant wild shrubs are everywhere, and you will hardly notice them. That is until they are flowering abundantly in April and May. It is then that the warm air catches their heady scent and wafts it throughout the forest. But look carefully now. Even though it is the dead of winter one or two tiny yellow flowers are appearing.
The genista hispanica
There is another sub species of genêt (or genista )that grows here . It is the broom. This is native to the Mediterranean and is also known as genista monspessulana (Montpellier broom) This flowers a little later than the genista iberica. Indeed you won't see too many bushes around here, as a law compels all land owners in areas of fire risk to cut these down, for they burn fiercely. However our neighbour's piece of agricultural land lies abandoned. And so, come May, we will be able to enjoy a splendid display. Once, the white pulp from ithe broom stems was collected, and woven into a rough fabric.It is said that if you were to explore certain cupboards in old French houses, you may well come across torchons (tea towels etc.) in this fabric on the bottom shelves.
