It really does seem to have been a good year for fruits and berries- the south hedgerows of Exminster Marshes have been illuminated by the reds of rosehips, guelder rose, hawthorn and woody nightshade. These strikingly bright colours act as bird beacons in a fascinating display of evolutionary mutualism- the birds benefit from the berries whilst plants benefit from having their seed dispersed far and wide. These reds catch our eyes too and you cannot help but wonder of the principles of uniformity within diversity. How much does the bird in the tree instinctively think of a berry in the same way as you?
It is clear that food is in abundance at this time of year and the reds of the hedgerow are complemented by hoards of blackberries and the marbled black and blue of sloes- cheering thoughts for any animal and perfect for making delicious recipes such as blackberry jam, wine or cordial. Or perhaps you fancy going for something a bit more unusual like sloe gin or hawthorn berry jelly? The traditional cut off date for picking blackberries was the 29th of September (Michaelmas), after which it was said that the spoiled blackberries were ‘claimed by the devil’. However there are many excellent berries still in the hedgerows but do remember to leave one or two for the wildlife.