Country mouse on the majesty of May
Nature has chosen may as the most glorious month of the year – savour it, says Mark

May is here. Savour it. The countryside will not look as good again this year, and, with this year's late spring, it will be even more glorious than usual. Stop. Take time to sample it; plan a day's holiday or a weekend for a walk in the countryside.
Take time to listen to the dawn chorus; sniff the air as the hawthorn or May tree blossoms with its sweet-and-sour aroma; plunge spears of asparagus into hollandaise; marvel at the bluebell woods, the wood anemones and the giant flowers of the horse chestnuts: Nature has chosen May to be our most glorious month of the year.
For the fisherman, it's time to tie spindly legged hawthorn flies to his line before finishing the month with the ephemeral mayfly itself. The trout will be greedy for both. Everywhere, young will appear: rabbits, chicks, leverets. Lock up your chickens, because the cubs will make the hungry vixen bolder than normal.
The oilseed rape will turn yellow, the beech trees will form their verdant cathedrals and the modestly named cow parsley will, once more, bedeck our verges with froths of white lace. It's May, and I implore you to take a look outside.
* For more Mouse like this every week, subscribe and save
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Bringing the quintessential English rural idle to life via interiors, food and drink, property and more Country Life’s travel content offers a window into the stunning scenery, imposing stately homes and quaint villages which make the UK’s countryside some of the most visited in the world.
-
How the high street can change for the better
The high street might not be dying, but it's definitely changing and in some places, it's changing for the better. So, what can the centre of town in the 21st century look like?
By Lucy Denton Published
-
'I thought we were forgotten':The Ritz Restaurant has been awarded a second Michelin Star
Chef John Williams has won his long-awaited second Star, plus all the other Michelin winners (and losers) you need to know about.
By Rosie Paterson Published